O's game blog: Series finale against Tampa (updated)

In a sense, we could call this the season of series sweeps for the Orioles. They have played nine series to completion and three times they swept their opponent and three times they got swept. Tonight they will try to avoid being part of a seventh sweep in 10 series on the year.

They've lost two close games at Tropicana Field this week to Tampa Bay by 4-2 and 4-3 scores. The O's are 3-2 against the Rays this year and, yes, their earlier series in Baltimore resulted in an O's three-game sweep. They have pitched well versus Tampa allowing three, four, one, four and four runs this season.

The O's team ERA is 2.40 against Tampa Bay, their best against any 2020 opponent. In 45 innings, they have allowed 32 hits and seven homers with 19 walks and 49 strikeouts. The Rays have hit just .193 with a team OPS of .659 against the Orioles. Baltimore batters have scored 21 runs in the five games, batting .266/.318/.412 for a .730 OPS.

O's batters went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position last night and are 2-for-15 in this series with RISP. Tampa Bay is 2-for-17. For the season, the O's are batting .239 with RISP to rank 11th in the American League. With RISP and two outs the Orioles hit .227, which ranks 12th in the AL.

Left-hander John Means (0-2, 10.13 ERA) will make his fifth start tonight as his battle to get into a rhythm and build up innings continues. He went three innings, allowing three runs on 44 pitches, Friday versus Boston. Means has not thrown an outing longer than 4 2/3 innings on the season.

Lefty batters are hitting .286 with an OPS of .571 against him, right-handed batters are hitting .278/.953 and his four homers allowed have been against right-handers. Means has been trying to find the feel for his changeup and that certainly might be a reason for his stats against right-handed hitters. The O's are 0-4 when Means has started this season.

Lefty Ryan Yarbrough (0-2, 4.45 ERA) will make his seventh start for Tampa Bay. The Rays are 3-3 when he takes the ball. He pitched Friday against Toronto in his last outing and allowed eight hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings on 97 pitches. He has allowed two earned runs or less three times and given up four or more three other times.

Yarbrough has not faced the O's in 2020. In seven career games (two starts), he is 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA. In 34 2/3 innings, he has walked six, fanned 29 and recorded a WHIP of 1.240.

Ryan Mountcastle went 1-for-6 with two walks in his first two games. He is 5-for-10 over his last three games with two doubles and two walks. He is batting .375 (6-for-16) with an OBP of .500. He is 4-for-8 when hitting a curveball.

Cedric Mullins, who leads the major leagues with six bunt hits, is batting .351 (13-for-37) in that span.

The Orioles are 7-10 versus AL East foes. Tampa Bay is 19-9, which includes a 6-1 mark against the Yankees. The O's are 8-3 on the road, but the Rays are 12-5 at home. And Tampa Bay is 27-7 at home since last Aug. 21.

Update: Tonight's game has been postponed. The Orioles issued this statement:

"After continued reflection and further dialogue, Orioles players have decided to not play tonight's game against the Rays as they join athletes around the country in expressing solidarity with victims of social injustice and systemic racism."

The O's were are not scheduled to return to St. Petersburg again this season. Their next scheduled game is tomorrow night in Buffalo against the Toronto Blue Jays.

"It's my job to support our players to the utmost, to communicate with our players as well as I possibly can, and I feel that we've done that. I'm really proud of our players."

Brandon Hyde on tonight's postponed game: pic.twitter.com/UKrlOoHLis

-- Baltimore Orioles 😷 (@Orioles) August 28, 2020