O's game blog: A chance for a two-game sweep against Tampa Bay

The Orioles lost the first game they played this season against the Tampa Bay Rays, but have since won three in a row. They won the last two games of a series at Camden Yards from May 8-10 and they won 8-6 last night at Tropicana Field.

So they took the opener of a two-game series, meaning they can sweep this series with a win this afternoon. By winning last night the Orioles ended a couple of streaks. Tampa Bay had been 12-0 this year in opening games of home series. The Rays had won seven straight home series, and the best they can do in this one is tie it.

The loss marked Tampa Bay’s third straight defeat, giving the Rays their first losing streak of more than two games since a five-game skid to conclude the 2022 season.

The Orioles' win last night ended this stat: The Orioles had lost their past 15 series at Tropicana Field dating to July 2017. According to Stats Perform, the 15-series-loss streak tied for the longest in club history. The O's also lost 15 straight road series at Boston between 2005 and 2010. While a loss today would mean they don't win this series, the Tuesday win also means they cannot lose it, so that stat is done now. 

Tampa Bay (51-25) leads the Orioles (45-27) by four games atop the American League East but now leads by just two games in the loss column.

The Orioles are now 23-14 on the road, 17-7 in series-opening games and 14-8 in AL East games. The Birds have won five straight AL East series for the first time since 2014, going for six straight today. They are 12-4 in their past 16 division games.

The Orioles have won three in a row over Tampa Bay for the first time since July 31-Aug. 2, 2020.

The Orioles hit three homers last night as Aaron Hicks hit a three-run shot, Anthony Santander a two-run shot and Ryan O’Hearn a solo blast. This marked the ninth time this season they had hit three or more in one game.

Tampa Bay is now 31-8 at home. Their only home series loss this year came in April versus Houston.

Right-hander Tyler Wells (6-2, 3.20 ERA), who ranks first in the major leagues in WHIP and 10^th in the AL in ERA, will make his 15^th appearance and 14^th start today. The Orioles are 9-4 in his starts this year, winning three in a row and five of his last seven.

Wells has been strong against both left- and right-handed hitters, allowing a batting average of .187 and OPS of .591 to lefty hitters. Versus right-handers, those numbers are .180/.630.

Right-hander Taj Bradley (4-3, 4.19 ERA) gets the ball for the home team. Bradley, 22, was the Rays' fifth-round selection in the 2018 draft. The team is 5-4 in his 2023 starts.

He has fanned 63 batters in 43 innings for a 13.2 strikeout rate, using a 96 mph fastball 44 percent of the time, a cutter 28 percent, a curve 15 percent and changeup 13 percent. He gets a 39.5 whiff rate on his changeup.

In three June starts he has allowed eight earned runs in 13 innings for a 5.54 ERA with a .766 OPS against.

The AL East today

Tampa Bay, 51-25
Baltimore, 45-27, 4 GB
New York, 40-33, 9.5 GB
Toronto, 40-35, 10.5 GB
Boston, 39-35, 11 GB

Tampa Bay’s 31-8 (.795) record at Tropicana Field represents the majors' best start at home since the 2008 Chicago Cubs (31-8). The Rays are one of 11 teams since 1901 to win at least 31 of their first 39 home games (excluding ties) in a season, including one of four in the Integration Era (since 1947), along with the 2008 Cubs, 1998 New York Yankees (33-6) and 1978 Boston Red Sox (33-6).