O's game blog: O's-Rays series begins at The Trop

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - After splitting two games in Washington and losing two of three in Kansas City, the Orioles have reached the final stop of this road trip. This afternoon they begin a two-day, three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Orioles (45-91) lost the last two days by two runs each in Kauffman Stadium. The defense let them down Saturday and the bullpen did on Sunday. The Royals scored two runs in the last of the seventh to take a 5-4 lead and added a Whit Merrifield homer in the eighth for the final 6-4 margin yesterday.

The Orioles are 4-3 the last seven games and 6-5 over the past 11. They are 23-45 on the road and are now 4-15-3 in road series. They finished August at 9-19 and have started September at 0-1.

The Orioles bring a couple of hot bats into this series. Hanser Alberto is 13-for-25 over his last seven games with a homer and three RBIs. Over his past 36 games, Alberto is batting .371 with nine doubles, a triple, five homers and 19 RBIs.

Anthony Santander is also on a 13-for-25 run at bat over six games with three doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs. He had an RBI in five straight games but the streak ended Sunday.

Trey Mancini had a two-run single Sunday and is 8-for-20 over his last six games. Over his last 41 games, Mancini has 12 home runs and 36 RBIs.

Tampa Bay (80-58) beat Cleveland 8-2 yesterday and completed a three-game sweep that moved them ahead of the Tribe for the first American League wild card spot. Tampa Bay leads Cleveland by 1/2 game for that spot and Oakland by a game.

The Rays have won four in a row to follow a four-game losing streak. They are 21-10 the last 31 games. And while Tampa is 37-31 at home, lately they are playing better at The Trop. They are 6-2 their last eight and 10-5 in the last 15 home games.

The Orioles are 6-10 versus the Rays, including a 2-4 record at The Trop. Tampa Bay is going to win the season series for the third straight year after going 11-8 against Baltimore in both 2017 and 2018.

On the mound today, right-hander Asher Wojciechowski (2-7, 5.12 ERA) will make his 12th start for the Orioles. He gave up five runs in the first inning Wednesday at Washington and went on to allow five over four innings. In six starts in August, Wojciechowski went 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.643 WHIP. That followed July when he went 2-3 with a 3.60 ERA.

Lefty Ryan Yarbrough (11-3, 3.36 ERA) gets the start for Tampa Bay. Over his last four games he is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA and has allowed an average against of .148. In 25 1/3 innings in that span he has walked one and fanned 28. Yarbrough is 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA in three games and one start in 2019 against the Orioles.