O's game blog: Dylan Bundy makes first major league start in Rays finale

After posting wins by scores of 4-3 on Friday and 2-1 last night, the Orioles go for a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon at Tropicana Field.

The Orioles last three-game sweep in St. Petersburg was from May 6-8, 2014. Last month, from June 24-26, the Orioles completed their first-ever four-game sweep of the Rays, home or away, when they took four at Camden Yards.

The Orioles are 9-2 this season versus the Rays and have won seven in a row in the season series. The O's team ERA in those 11 games is 2.51. The Orioles have outscored the Rays 52-28 this season.

Right-hander Dylan Bundy (2-1, 3.08 ERA) makes his first major league start today after 22 relief outings this year and two in the 2012 season. Right-hander Jake Odorizzi (3-5, 4.47 ERA) makes the start for the Rays.

With Bundy pitching well and the Orioles rotation in need of help, the 23-year-old right-hander has been moved to the rotation, at least for today. His longest outing this year is three innings and 57 pitches.

Bundy will be pitching on 10 days' rest. His last outing was July 6 at Dodger Stadium when he fanned seven over 2 1/3 scoreless innings on 56 pitches.

Over his last six games, Bundy has worked 14 1/3 innings allowing 11 hits and one unearned run with four walks to 19 strikeouts. His batting average against is .212 in that time and was .354 before this stretch. Over his last three games, Bundy has 13 strikeouts over eight innings.

The 26-year-old Odorizzi has allowed 11 runs in 10 1/3 over his past two starts. In his last six games, he is 0-2 with an ERA of 6.75.

Odorizzi has an ERA of 5.68 in the first inning and of 7.58 in the second inning. In 10 home starts at Tropicana Field, he is 0-3 with a 3.90 ERA.

In three 2016 starts versus the Orioles, he is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA and .369 average against. In 11 career games (10 starts) versus Baltimore, he is 2-3 with a 5.02 ERA, 1.465 WHIP and .291 average against.