O's game blog: Vance Worley makes his season debut and faces Tampa Bay

Their season-opening homestand shortened now to five games by last night's postponement, the Orioles look to sweep what is now a two-game series against Tampa Bay. A win today would give them just the second 5-0 start in team history and match the 1970 Orioles.

Right-hander Vance Worley makes his 2016 season debut this afternoon facing Tampa Bay right-hander Jake Odorizzi.

Worley went 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA last year for Pittsburgh in 23 games, eight as a starter. Worley pitched better out of the bullpen last year with an ERA of 2.83. The Orioles claimed him on waivers from the Pirates in October.

In 81 career major league starts, Worley is 28-26 with an ERA of 3.86 and WHIP of 1.409. As a reliever, he is 3-2 with a 2.90 ERA and 1.190 WHIP.

Worley has not pitched since an exhibition game on April 1 at Philadelphia. Scheduled to go four innings that night, his outing was limited to two innings and 34 pitches by rain. He gave up three hits and one run. He pitched to an ERA of 4.32 over 16 2/3 spring innings. Worley gave up just one run over 7 1/3 innings in his last four spring appearances.

Worley has never faced Tampa Bay in his career. This year, he is pitching in the American League for the first time since 2013, when he went 1-5 with a 7.21 ERA in 10 games for Minnesota.

Odorizzi (0-0, 1.59 ERA) makes his second 2016 start for the Rays. He got a no-decision at home Tuesday versus Toronto. Over 5 2/3 innings, he gave up four hits and two runs (one earned) with two walks and 10 strikeouts. He threw 111 pitches, two off his career high, 67 for strikes. It was the third time in his career he has fanned 10 or more batters.

Odorizzi gave up eight runs in one inning in his last spring training game, as his spring ERA jumped from 1.50 to 6.92. In eight career games (seven starts) versus Baltimore, he is 2-2 with a 4.79 ERA. In 2015, he made three starts against the Orioles, going 2-0 with a 3.93 ERA.

The Rays have a home run in a club record 19 consecutive games dating to last Sept. 20 against the Orioles. The O's have hit seven homers so far, all solo shots. The Orioles hit one homer their first two games and have hit six the past two games.