O's game blog: Miguel Castro gets the start for the Orioles

The Orioles are certainly staggering to the end of the 2017 season. It is an end that will come tomorrow and may be about 24 hours away. The Orioles (75-85) play the Tampa Bay Rays (78-82) tonight in the second game of a three-game series.

Three O's pitchers walked 10 batters last night and the Orioles had just four hits in a 7-0 loss to the Rays. Wade Miley took the loss, allowing four runs over four innings, to end his year at 8-15 with a 5.61 ERA.

Over the last four games, O's starters have allowed 18 runs over 15 innings, for a 10.80 ERA. The starting rotation ERA is 7.08 over the last 28 games. O's pitchers have allowed 43 runs the last six games and 98 in the last 14, allowing seven runs or more nine times in that span.

Meanwhile, the Orioles often seem to struggle to score runs without homers. They have hit one or fewer in 19 of the last 21 games. In those 21 games, they have scored three runs or fewer 16 times.

Right-hander Miguel Castro (3-2, 3.29 ERA) will make his first major league start tonight. He has made 38 relief appearances this season and 75 since his first big league game in 2015 with Toronto.

While Castro has had a strong year for the Orioles, he has been scored on in six straight games. In that span, he pitched 10 innings, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) with 11 walks and six strikeouts.

Over the full season he has a 1.175 WHIP for the Orioles and has allowed just 6.7 hits per nine innings with 3.9 walks and 5.0 strikeouts. Lefty batters have hit .256 against Castro and right-handers have hit .187. In five games this year versus Tampa Bay, he is 0-0 with a 2.00 ERA, allowing four runs (two earned) over nine innings.

Right-hander Chris Archer (9-12, 4.18) will make his 34th start for Tampa Bay. Archer is facing the Orioles in back-to-back starts. Sunday in Baltimore he took the loss. Over 3 2/3 innings he gave up eight hits and six runs (five earned), throwing 76 pitches. The Orioles scored four runs off him in the first inning.

In five September starts, Archer is 0-5 with a 9.72 ERA, allowing 29 hits over 16 2/3. In three starts this season versus the Orioles, Archer is 1-2 with a 7.71 ERA. He has given up at least five runs in each of those three starts. In 16 career games (15 starts) he is 4-8 with a 5.08 ERA.