Game: Baltimore Orioles @ Tampa Bay Rays
Time: 6:40 p.m.
Odds: Orioles +165, Rays -180
Total: 8
The suddenly division-leading Baltimore Orioles will begin a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida, tonight in an effort to hold onto their lead in the American League East.
Following the Orioles’ 8-5 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday and the Rays’ 5-1 loss to the Texas Rangers on the road, Baltimore (58-37, .611 winning percentage) moved ahead of Tampa Bay (60-39, .606) in the standings.
The Rays have now lost four straight games and 11 of their last 14 after being swept by the Rangers in a three-game series. Tampa Bay had a tough time getting anything going against Texas. The Rays, who rank fourth in MLB in scoring, managed just six runs in the three games.
The Orioles had a season-best eight-game winning streak going into their three-game set against the Dodgers. They lost the first two games by a combined score of 16-7, but they managed to win the third and final game last night.
Early in May, in the teams’ first series of the year, Baltimore defeated the Rays in two of three games. Each game was decided by three runs or less. In a two-game series played in Florida in late June, the teams split. The Orioles won the first game 8-6, while the Rays easily won Game 2, 7-2.
The Orioles will use Kyle Gibson (9-6, 4.77 ERA) tonight. The right-hander is coming off a no-decision against the Miami Marlins on Saturday in which he gave up five runs on nine hits. He had one strikeout and two walks over six innings. Baltimore won 6-5 in the end. Gibson’s performance against the Rays on May 8 was significantly better. In six innings of a 3-0 defeat, he gave up two runs on six hits, finished with four strikeouts, and issued two walks. Gibson has a 6-6 record with a 4.24 ERA and 54 strikeouts against 24 walks in 76.1 innings over 14 appearances, including 13 starts, against Tampa Bay.
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow (3-3, 3.78 ERA), who was outstanding in his most recent start, will oppose Gibson for the Rays. On Saturday, he defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-1, striking out seven while walking just two. He gave up one run on six hits. Glasnow suffered his first-ever loss to Baltimore earlier in the season. On June 20, he lost 8-6 after getting blasted six runs on six hits. He struck out seven and walked two, lasting just 4.1 innings. In 39 innings over seven starts against the Orioles, Glasnow is 4-1 with a 3.23 ERA, 55 strikeouts, and just eight walks.
Baltimore is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games and 5-0 in its last five road games. In addition to going 1-4 in their last five games, the Rays have won just one of their last six games at home.
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