O's game blog: Looking for a streak-ending win at The Trop

Still in the hunt for an elusive win - and without one since Aug. 2 at Yankee Stadium - the Orioles play again at Tropicana Field tonight in Game 3 of a four-game series versus the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays have posted wins by 9-2 and 10-0 to begin the series as the O's losing streak has reached 13 in a row. They have been outscored123-36 during this span. They have been outscored 49-7 on this road trip to Boston and St. Petersburg, Fla., covering five games.

The O's offense has produced just seven runs the last five games and 17 in the last eight games. The Orioles have gone 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position in this series and 4-for-60 over the last eight games.

The Orioles are the first team in American League history to have two separate losing streaks of at least 13 games in a single season. There has been only one team in major league history (since 1901), the Boston Braves, to do it and they did it twice. In 1935, they had 14- and 15-game streaks. In 1911, they had 14- and 16-game streaks.

During their streak, the Orioles have pitched to a 9.41 ERA (115 earned runs/110 innings), with starters going 0-10 with an 8.89 ERA (55 ER/55.2 IP) and relievers going 0-3 and posting a 9.94 ERA (60 earned runs/54 1/3 innings). They have surrendered nine or more runs in nine of the games in this stretch.

Ryan Mountcastle enters play today with a nine-game hitting streak, during which he has batted .469/.486/.875 (15-for-32) with four doubles, three home runs, six runs and eight RBIs. The nine-game streak is a career high and is tied for the longest active streak in the majors. Mountcastle's 15 RBIs since the All-Star break lead the O's and he's batting .309/.333/.618 in the second half. Mountcastle's 19 home runs currently rank as the eighth-most in O's history by a rookie. Cal Ripken Jr.'s 28 in 1982 are the club record.

Infielder Richie Martin has hit safely in four straight games, matching a career high, done four times. He's made nine starts, all at shortstop, since being activated from the 60-day injured list on Aug. 2.

The Orioles have used 53 different players this season (32 pitchers and 21 position players). A major league-high 14 players have made their big league debuts for the O's. The club record for most major league debuts in a season is 15, set in 2018.

Tampa Bay (73-47) begins play tonight leading the American League East by five games. The Rays have gained two games in the division in two days. Their five-game division lead matches their largest through at least 100 games since the end of play on Sept. 1, 2008.

Tampa Bay is 9-3 in their its 12 games, 13-5 in the last 18 games and 20-10 since the All-Star break, which is second in the AL behind the Yankees (22-9). With 42 games remaining, the Rays are on pace to go 98-64, which would set a franchise record for wins in a season (97-65 in 2008).

On the mound tonight, O's right-hander Spenser Watkins (2-4, 5.25 ERA) faces Rays right-hander Louis Head (1-0, 1.85 ERA).