O's game blog: Dylan Bundy faces first-place Tampa Bay

With a walk-off loss and a blowout loss over their last two games, the Orioles (11-22) look to get back in the victory column tonight when they host the Tampa Bay Rays (21-11). It is the second game of a three-game series and a nine-game homestand.

Coming off a 1-5 road trip, the Birds were shut out 7-0 last night. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow threw seven scoreless innings to improve to 6-0 with a 1.47 ERA. No Oriole reached second base, and the team was held without an extra-base hit for the first time. When the O's score four runs or fewer, they are 2-18.

The Rays are 7-3 in their last 10 games on the heels of a season-long four-game losing streak. They have matched their season high of going 10 games over .500 for the third time. It also happened at 14-4 and 19-9.

The Rays are 2 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the American League East. They have been alone in first in the division since the end of play on March 31, a current stretch of 34 straight days. Tampa Bay is 8-1-1 in series play this season, including 9-2 in series openers and 6-0 on the road. They are 17-2-3 in their last 22 series and 20-3-3 in their last 26 series, both dating back to 2018.

The Orioles were shut out last night for the second time this season, the other shutout coming on April 14 at Boston, when the O's lost 4-0. It was the third shutout pitched by the Rays. The others were on April 2 versus the Rockies and April 7 at San Francisco.

Right-hander Dylan Bundy (0-4, 6.67) will make his seventh start. Bundy has thrown five innings or less five times, has allowed three earned runs or fewer five times and has one quality start. The Orioles are 1-5 in his starts after going 9-22 last year.

In 2018, Bundy walked 2.8 per nine innings, fanned 9.6 and gave up 2.1 home runs. This year he has walked 4.1, fanned 10.8 and allowed 2.9 homers. He has given up nine home runs in 28 1/3 innings this season.

The Rays had announced they would use an opener in right-hander Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.81 ERA) tonight. But about two hours before game time they switched to right-hander Yonny Chirinos (4-0, 3.48 ERA). Among pitchers with at least 30 innings, he ranks first in the AL in WHIP at 0.84, and fourth in fewest walks per nine innings at 1.74. He has not lost since Aug. 17, 2018 at Boston, going 8-0 in 13 games. He is 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in his three starts.

The Orioles have allowed only seven stolen bases in their first 33 games, the fewest allowed in the AL and tied for second fewest in the majors. They have caught 10 attempted base stealers and their 58.8 caught-stealing percentage is the best in the majors. The O's 34 double plays turned this season are most in the majors.

Award winners: The Orioles today announced that Single-A Delmarva right-hander Grayson Rodriguez was named the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April, and his teammate infielder Adam Hall was named Minor League Player of the Month. This is Hall's second straight Player of the Month award, as he took home the honor last August as well. Hall batted .354/.453/.456 (28-for-79) with five doubles, a home run, 17 runs scored, 10 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 21 games in April. Rodriguez made three starts in the month, going 3-0 with a 0.54 ERA, six walks, and 28 strikeouts. He struck out 10 batters in each of his first two starts, did not allow a run in his first 14 2/3 innings to start the season.