It's a start

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.- I'll be checking out of my hotel and heading to Tropicana Field in the next hour. It seems like I just got here. I didn't bother to unpack my suitcase. Do you realize that the Orioles haven't used their bullpen in regulation in the last three games? Kevin Gregg and Jim Johnson followed Zach Britton to the mound on Thursday after the rookie tossed nine scoreless innings. Jeremy Guthrie and Brad Bergesen went the distance in the first two games of the Rays series. The rotation has recorded five straight quality starts, posting a 1.42 ERA - six earned runs and 21 hits in 38 innings - over that span. The Orioles have held the Rays to four hits in four of their five games at Tropicana Field this season. Adam Jones is batting .400 (20-for-50) with eight RBIs in his last 12 games since May 2. He has multiple hits in five of those games. Jones is batting .476 (10-for-21) with four extra-base hits in his last five games. If the Rays are waiting for him to cool off today, they should know that Jones is 6-for-11 with two doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs against Andy Sonnanstine. The Orioles are 3-9 in series finales, including 1-4 on the road. Their only road finale win came at Tropicana Field on April 3. The Orioles are searching for their 19th win this season after not winning their 19th game in 2010 until June 19. They're looking for their eighth road win after waiting until July 4 last year. Jake Arrieta is 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA in two career starts against the Rays, with 10 hits and three home runs allowed in 11 1/3 innings. He's also walked seven batters. Matt Joyce and B.J. Upton are both 2-for-5 with a double and home run against Arrieta.