No runs, no win: O's blanked 2-0 by Tampa Bay

Left-hander Wade Miley, whose control eluded him at times, pitched another strong game for the Orioles tonight. But his offense couldn't get much going against a procession of Tampa Bay pitchers.

Shortly before gametime, the Rays announced that right-hander Erasmo Ramírez would not start as planned due to the "uncertain weather conditions." So the Rays went with a bullpen game and made it work.

Five Rays pitchers combined to blank the Orioles on just two hits tonight in Tampa Bay's 2-0 win at Oriole Park. After Chris Davis singled to lead off the fourth, Tampa Bay pitchers retired the next 17 O's hitters before Davis walked with two outs in the ninth. But Mark Trumbo struck out to end it. It was a lackluster night for the Orioles and the chilled fans who made it out to Camden Yards.

The Orioles lose for just the second time in seven games and fall to 13-6 overall and 11-5 in games versus American League East teams. Tampa Bay is 11-11.

Right-hander Austin Pruitt got the start and allowed one hit over three innings. Danny Farquhar got the next two outs and former O's farmhand Jumbo Díaz replaced him. Díaz went 1 1/3. Chase Whitley retired all nine batters he saw on 41 pitches in the sixth through the eighth to get the win. Alex Colomé got the last three outs to record his fifth save in six chances.

The Rays broke the scoreless tie with two runs in the fourth. With one out, Miley walked Rickie Weeks Jr. and Logan Morrison and that would cost him. Tim Beckham singled to center to score one and send Morrison to third. Morrison scored when the next batter, Derek Norris, lifted a sac fly to right. The Rays used two walks and one hit to take the 2-0 lead.

Miley pitched seven solid innings and take the loss to fall to 1-1 with an ERA of 2.08 over four starts. He allowed four hits and two runs with six walks and eight strikeouts. Miley threw 116 pitches, 69 for strikes, in recording his third consecutive quality start.

O's starters have recorded nine quality starts over their past 12 games. In that span the rotation ERA is 3.08.

But the Orioles have scored just 21 runs over the past eight games and were blanked for the first time in the 2017 season. They've scored two runs or fewer eight times.

In the finale of this series and homestand on Wednesday night, Dylan Bundy (3-1, 1.37 ERA) pitches against right-hander Alex Cobb (1-2, 4.88 ERA).