O's game blog: Trying to extend the quality starts streak

It started with Keegan Akin's solid seven-inning outing on Thursday afternoon, when he allowed just three hits and one run. That started a run that is now three consecutive quality outings by O's pitchers as Matt Harvey and John Means followed Akin with strong outings of their own.

Three straight quality starts is a first for the 2021 Orioles.

They had had two in a row but never three until now. In this span, the three starters allowed six runs and 12 hits in 19 1/3 innings with three walks and 15 strikeouts and just one homer allowed. That is an ERA of 2.79. Before this run, O's starters had just one quality start (by Means) in the previous 15 games.

For the year, the Orioles have 26 quality starts and a record of 14-12 when they get one.

Tampa Bay (81-48) has won by scores of 6-3 and 4-3 in this series. A little closer than their recent four-game sweep Aug. 16-19 at the Trop, when they outscored Baltimore 34-8.

The Rays have won six consecutive games, tied for their second-longest streak of the season behind May 13-24, when they won 11 straight. The Rays are 10-1 in their last 11 games, 17-4 in their last 21, 21-6 in their last 27 and 28-11 since the All-Star break, and that is second in the majors behind the Yankees (30-10).

Their next win will clinch a fourth straight winning season and the 10th winning record in club history, all in 14 seasons since 2008, and they are a season-high 33 games over .500, their most since the end of play on Sept. 25, 2008 (96-63) and one shy of the high-water mark in the history of the franchise, which is 34 games over through Sept. 24, 2008.

Tampa Bay is an American League-best 40-25 on the road, third in the majors behind the Brewers (42-23) and Giants (42-26), including 16-5 in their last 21. The Rays are 41-18 (.695) against the AL East, including 7-0 since Aug. 12, 15-1 since July 29 and 35-10 since May 13 after a 6-8 start. So, that's pretty good.

The Orioles (40-88) have lost 21 of the past 23 games and will try to avoid the sweep today. While they have scored just six runs in this series, they've scored 37 in the last five games. The O's held a lead after seven innings Saturday night and fell to 31-5 when leading after seven.

On the mound today, right-hander Spenser Watkins (2-6, 7.07 ERA) will try to bounce back from his worst start of the year. Over two innings against the Los Angeles Angels, he gave up seven hits and eight runs. In his first three O's starts, Watkins recorded a 1.76 ERA and allowed a batting average of .216. But now his ERA is 10.52 his last six starts, with a batting average of .356 and five homers and 42 hits allowed in 25 2/3 innings.

Right-hander Chris Archer (0-1, 4.26 ERA) will make his fourth appearance of the year for the Rays. The first three have seen him throw a combined 6 1/3 innings in which he allowed eight hits and three earned runs. He missed a lot of time with right forearm tightness and made six rehab starts between the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Rays and Triple-A Durham, going 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 15 1/3 innings.

Archer is 6-10 with a 5.07 ERA in 20 career games (19 starts) against the Orioles, all with the Rays. The 10 losses are his second-most against a single opponent (Red Sox, 12) and the 5.07 ERA is his second-highest against an opponent (minimum 50 innings pitched) behind Boston (5.27). He is 2-7 with a 6.59 ERA in 10 appearances (nine starts) at Camden Yards, and he's allowed homers in 54 2/3 innings at Oriole Park (2.47 homers per nine innings).

Outfielder Austin Hays has recorded an extra-base hit in five straight games, the longest active streak in the majors. It is the longest such stretch of his career. His previous high was four straight, from July 21-27 earlier this year. It is the third-longest stretch by an Oriole this season, trailing only six straight games from both Trey Mancini (July 21-28) and Ryan Mountcastle (May 31-June 6).

Infielder Jorge Mateo has hit safely in 16 of 18 games, including a career-high 11-game hitting streak from Aug. 10-20, since joining the O's. He is batting .365/.394/.492 (23-for-63) with six doubles during this stretch. He's batting .417/.462/.500 (15-for-36) against right-handed pitching while in an O's uniform. He's started 31 of his 97 career major league games, including 16 of 18 since joining the O's.