O's game blog: Orioles are 26-24 against the AL East as Tampa Bay series begins

The Orioles (63-67) have played 130 games, with 32 remaining in the 2015 season. They begin a brief homestand tonight that consists of one three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. It begins a stretch where 26 of the remaining 32 games are within the American League East.

The O's have a winning record in the division this year at 26-24, including a 13-8 mark at home and a 7-5 record against Tampa Bay (64-66). The Orioles are 13-17 versus the AL Central and 15-18 against the AL West. The last time the Orioles played a division opponent, it was also Tampa Bay and they won two of three from July 24-26 on the road.

Wei-Yin Chen (8-6, 3.17 ERA) makes his 26th start tonight and faces Rays right-hander Chris Archer (11-10, 2.88 ERA).

Over his past four starts, Chen is 3-0 with an ERA of 2.42. He is 4-0 over his last seven starts since July 26 and the Orioles are 6-1 during that span. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 16 of his last 17 starts. He gave up two earned runs or less 11 times in that span.

Chen has held opponents to a .160 batting average (20-for-125) with runners in scoring position this season, which leads all qualifying starting pitchers in the major leagues. In four starts this year against Tampa Bay, he is 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA. Chen has given up six homers to the Rays this year, which is half of the total allowed by the entire O's staff in the season series. He is 4-5 with a 3.42 ERA in 17 career starts against the Rays.

The Orioles enter tonight's game ranking fourth in the majors with 169 home runs. They trail the Toronto Blue Jays (184), Houston Astros (176) and New York Yankees (171).

The Orioles have scored just seven runs their past four games and three or less in 10 of their last 11 games, all losses. They scored just four runs on 15 hits in getting swept three straight at Texas.

Over his last nine games, Chris Davis is 4-for-33 with 18 strikeouts. Manny Machado is 4-for-25 his past six games. Adam Jones is 3-for-21 over six games. Matt Wieters is 4-for-29 over nine games and has not driven in a run his past 13 games.

Archer has had a unique run in his past three starts. On Aug. 15, he gave up eight runs in 5 1/3 innings against Texas. He followed that throwing a 98-pitch, one-hit shutout against Houston. In his last start, he allowed nine hits and four runs in six innings against the Twins.

On the year, left-handed batters hit .218 off Archer and right-handed hitters bat just .208. He has fanned 10 or more in a game nine times to tie the club record David Price set last year.

But Archer has struggled against the Orioles. In three starts this season, he is 0-2 with an ERA of 4.08 against Baltimore. In eight career games against the Orioles, he is 1-4 with a 5.06 ERA. In two career starts at Camden Yards, he is 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA.

On the farm today, catcher Steel Russell, the son of John Russell, the Orioles' bench coach, has been promoted to Single-A Frederick from Single-A Delmarva, while Delmarva activated catcher Jonah Heim from disabled list.

Double-A Bowie tonight can become the first of what could turn out to be three Orioles minor league teams clinching playoff spots this year. The Baysox host Altoona to begin their final home series of the regular season and their magic number to clinch a postseason berth is one. With a win tonight or losses by Akron and Richmond, the Baysox will clinch a spot in the Eastern League playoffs for the sixth time in their 23 seasons.