Matusz to go on Monday (Rays lead, 6-3)

Brian Matusz was skipped in the rotation tonight, but manager Buck Showalter told reporters in St. Petersburg that the left-hander will start Monday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. So much for a long wait. Alfredo Simon is taking the mound tonight. Hopefully, he'll still be there when MASN2 begins to air the game at 7:06 p.m. It's a Fox window issue, and I don't mean Jake. But anyway ... Matusz is 1-7 with a 9.07 ERA this season. He's 2-4 with a 3.65 ERA in six career starts against New York. The rotation, always in upheaval, is being adjusted again because Jo-Jo Reyes left the team for the birth of his baby. It's not known when the left-hander will make his next start. Also, first baseman Chris Davis, on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder, will report to Double-A Bowie and play in injury-rehab games tomorrow and Monday. Davis will play first base tomorrow and third base on Monday. Once he's activated, I'd stick him at third for a while and see how he responds - and how his shoulder responds. Update: The Orioles took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning tonight. J.J. Hardy singled and Nick Markakis hit his 14th home run. That's all it took. Yes, Markakis occasionally flashes a little power. Update II: Alfredo Simon retired the first two batters in the bottom of the first, but a ground-rule double, walk and B.J. Upton's two-run double tied the game. Mark Reynolds struck out in the top of the second, in case you were wondering. Update III: Evan Longoria walked with two outs in the third and Matt Joyce doubled to give Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead. Once again, damage is done with two outs. Update IV: B.J. Upton's two-out - of course - three-run double increased the Rays' lead to 6-2 in the fifth, before Matt Wieters delivered an RBI in the top of the sixth. Simon allowed six runs and seven hits, with four walks, in five innings.