O's game blog: Andrew Cashner faces the Rays

Right-hander Andrew Cashner (2-9, 4.40 ERA) doesn't have a win in more than two months, but despite that he has been pitching better recently. Cashner will try to pitch the Orioles to a win over Tampa Bay tonight in the second game of this four-game series.

Over his last nine starts, Cashner is 0-4 since he got a win May 21 in Chicago against the White Sox. But Cashner's ERA is 3.52 over his last eight starts and he was one out away Sunday in Toronto from having six quality starts in those eight games.

But the Orioles are 5-14 in Cashner's 19 starts. They are 3-16 when Alex Cobb starts for a combined 8-30 (.211) when their two preseason acquisitions get the ball. That is a lower winning percentage than the team as a whole this year at .282.

Before winning the series opener 4-3 against the Orioles last night, Tampa Bay took two of three from the Yankees. The Rays are 4-1 in their last five games on the heels of a 1-5 stretch. Since June 22, the Rays are 19-10 (.655) in 29 games, and they are 6-3 in series play over that same stretch.

Since starting the season 4-13, Tampa Bay is 49-37 to improve its season record to 53-50. Tampa Bay is 6-4 in the 2018 season series versus Baltimore after beating the Orioles 11-8 in the 2017 season series. When the Rays won that season series against the Orioles last year, it was their first since 2013.

Right-hander Chris Archer (3-4, 4.30 ERA) will make his 17th start for the Rays. They used an "opener" last night for the 23rd time, but Archer is not. They want him to pitch deep into tonight's game.

Since pitching to an ERA of 6.61 in his first six starts, Archer is 1-3 with a 2.98 ERA his last 10 starts since the beginning of May. Archer has seven quality starts and the Rays are 9-7 when he pitches.

Archer has posted ERAs of more than 4.00 in the last three years. His ERA was 4.02 in 2016, 4.07 last year and is 4.30 this year.

Archer does not have a strong career record versus the Orioles. This year he is 1-1 with a 7.30 ERA in two starts, allowing four homers in 12 1/3 innings. In 19 career games (18 starts), he is 6-9 with a 5.10 ERA. That is his third-highest versus any team behind only his 5.87 ERA against Cleveland and 5.27 ERA against Boston.

In nine career games (eight starts) at Oriole Park, Archer is 2-6 with a 6.84 ERA and has allowed 2.59 homers for every nine innings. That is his second-worst ERA at any venue, behind his 7.29 ERA at Boston's Fenway Park.

Outfielder Adam Jones has hit safely in eight of nine games against the Rays this season batting .361 (13-for-36). Jones is 8-for-23 (.348) during a six-game hitting streak.