O's game blog: Orioles host the Rays in Game 2 of series

With five wins over their last six games and Major League Baseball's best record at 13-5, the Orioles host Tampa Bay tonight at chilly Camden Yards. It's game two of a three-game series after the Orioles won the opener 6-3 last night.

The 2017 Orioles are the fourth squad in team history to start 13-5 or better. The first three all played in the World Series and two won the World Series.

Best 18-game starts in Orioles history:
* 14-4 in 1966 (won World Series)
* 13-5 in 1970 (won World Series)
* 13-5 in 1969 (won American League championship)
* 12-6 in 1968 (finished second in AL)
* 12-6 in 1997 (AL East champions)

The Orioles hit three homers last night, with Hyun Soo Kim and Jonathan Schoop going back-to-back with solo shots in the sixth off Chris Archer. Adam Jones added a two-run home run in the seventh that snapped a 3-3 tie. The Orioles have hit five homers over their last three games and 21 in the last 12 games.

Meanwhile, Orioles pitchers have allowed just 12 runs over the last six games. Their starting pitchers have an ERA of 2.65 in that span. The O's bullpen pitchers have an ERA of 0.51 in that stretch. Over 17 2/3 innings they have allowed 10 hits and one run with four walks and 15 strikeouts. That run has lowered the bullpen ERA for the year from 3.77 to 2.82.

Top AL bullpen ERAs:
1.39 - New York
1.76 - Chicago
2.21 - Boston
2.66 - Houston
2.82 - Orioles

Left-hander Wade Miley (1-0, 1.89 ERA) makes his fourth start of the season and faces Tampa Bay right-hander Erasmo Ramírez (2-0, 3.07 ERA) in Game 2 of this series.

Miley began the year pitching five scoreless innings against the New York Yankees. He then allowed three runs over six innings at Toronto. In his last start at Cincinnati on Thursday he went eight innings and gave up just two hits and one run with one walk and 11 strikeouts.

For Miley, his last three starts of 2016 and his first three of 2017 have produced an impressive turnaround from his first eight starts with the Orioles. In those eight games, after they acquired him last July 31, he pitched to an ERA of 8.41.

In six starts since the middle of last September, he is 2-0 with a 1.91 ERA. Over 37 2/3 innings, Miley has given up 25 hits and eight runs with 10 walks and 47 strikeouts.

In his 11 starts with the Orioles in 2016, right-handed batters hit .333 with an OPS of .894 versus Miley. In his first three starts of this season, those numbers are .132/.472. Improvement against right-handers could be his biggest key to having a much better 2017 season.

Ramírez (2-0, 3.07 ERA) makes his seventh appearance and second start for the Rays. He got the start on Thursday versus Detroit and gave up two hits and one run over five innings. It was his first start since April 16, 2016.

Ramírez has allowed nine hits over 14 2/3 innings in 2017. Left-handed batters are hitting .167 against him and right-handed batters are hitting .176. In seven bullpen games against Baltimore last season, he went 0-1 with a 2.13 ERA. In 14 career games (six starts) he is 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA.

Late change of pitchers: Just before gametime, the Rays announced a change of their starting pitchers and right-hander Austin Pruitt will start instead of Ramírez. A press box announcement said it was due to the "uncertain weather conditions." Ramírez is not hurt and is available to pitch.

Pruitt is 2-0 with a 7.94 ERA in eight bullpen appearances. Over 11 1/3 innings, he has allowed 21 hits and 12 runs (10 earned) with three walks, 10 strikeouts and a .389 batting average against.