O's game blog: Chris Archer on a roll, faces Orioles tonight

In their last three games, the Orioles have scored 18, eight and zero runs. That is trending the wrong way.

You just can't predict ball. Just ask Pecota.

Anyway, tonight the Orioles will be playing on back-to-back days for the first time in nearly a week. After Sunday's win, two games were postponed. After Wednesday's win, they had a scheduled off-day.

The Orioles have played four games this year at Tropicana Field and have scored in order six, six, zero and zero runs. After a great offensive start there in 2015, they've gone 25 consecutive innings without scoring at the Trop, their home for this weekend.

O's in St. Petersburg this year:

First 11 innings: 12 runs, 13 hits, .289 avg., 4 homers
Last 25 innings: 0 runs, 8 hits, .101 avg., 0 homers

The Orioles produced seven extra-base hits in those first 11 innings and have just one (a double) the past 25 innings.

On the mound tonight, Miguel Gonzalez (2-1, 3.42 ERA) faces Chris Archer (3-2, 0.84 ERA). Archer ranks first in the American League in strikeouts (37), second among starters in WHIP (0.74), third in ERA and third in batting average against among starters (.159).

Archer took the loss on opening day against the Orioles. Since then, he has made four starts in a row without allowing an earned run. Yes, that is amazing. His streak is at 26 2/3 innings.

That run of four consecutive games is a Rays club record, and tonight Archer can become the first AL pitcher to not allow an earned run in five consecutive starts since Oakland's Cory Lidle in 2002.

Archer finished April with a 0.84 ERA, a club record for April and the second-lowest ERA for any month in Tampa Bay history behind his own mark of 0.73 in July 2013.

Strangely enough, with all these great stats by Archer, he has not pitched well in his career against the Orioles. They are the only team to get to him this year, and he is 1-3 with a 5.58 ERA in six career games (five starts) against Baltimore.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez is 4-4 with a 3.82 ERA in 12 career starts versus the Rays. In six starts at Tropicana Field, Gonzalez is 3-2 with a 2.48 ERA.

Former O's farmhand gets the call:

In the 2010 draft, the Orioles selected right-handed pitcher Scott Copeland with their pick in Round 21 out of Southern Mississippi. You don't expect a player chosen then to make the majors, but Copeland has - with the Toronto Blue Jays.

He was called up to Toronto last night after going 2-1 with a 1.44 ERA at Triple-A Buffalo.

Copeland didn't pitch like that as an Oriole. He went 8-11 with a 5.53 ERA between Single-A Delmarva and Single-A Frederick in 2011. The next season, he was 3-8 with a 6.88 ERA for Frederick when the O's released him that July. Toronto signed him not long after that.

Now, Copeland has clearly turned around his career and, as of last night, made the majors for the first time.

So blessed my dream is finally coming true! Thanks @BlueJays for the opportunity and believing in me! #ComeTogether #Godisgood

-- Scott Copeland (@SCopeland345) May 2, 2015