Wednesday baseball: O's at Tampa

Game Preview Orioles (48-71) at Tampa Bay (64-54) Orioles pitchers have been giving up the longball a lot in recent games and Tampa Bay hit three homers to beat the Orioles Tuesday night, 5-4, in the opener of a three-game series. Tonight, in game two of this series at 7:08 p.m. at Tropicana Field, Chris Tillman (1-0, 4.88) pitches for the Orioles vs. Jeff Niemann (10-5, 3.86). O's pitchers have given up nine homers the last three games and 34 in the last 21 games. The Orioles have struggled on the road all year and especially on the road within the AL East. The Birds are now 18-40 on the road on the season and are 3-19 in AL East road games. The Orioles are 4-31 in their last 35 on the road in the East and have won just two of their last 19 AL East road series. The O's are 8-23 since the All-Star break and are 0-8-1 in nine series since the break. The O's tonight look to break a four-game losing streak. Going further back, they have lost eight of 10 and 21 of the last 28 games. The Rays are trying to close the gap on Texas and Boston in the AL wild card chase. Tampa has now won three in a row since ending a five-game losing streak. Tampa is 23-7 in its last 30 home games and 39-19 at home on the year. Tampa is 16-13 in the second half. Carl Crawford, who had three hits last night, is now 10 for 16 over his last four games with six doubles and 3 RBI. Carlos Pena has hit five homers in his last 10 games. The Orioles are 4-4 on the season vs. the Rays, including a 1-3 mark on the road. O's current hitting streaks: Markakis: 11 games at 20 for 49, .408-2-8 with 6 doubles Roberts: 8 games at 14 for 38, .368-1-5 with 7 doubles Reimold: 5 games at 6 for 20, .300 with 3 doubles and one triple Scott: 4 games at 5 for 16, .313 with 3 doubles and one homer