O's game blog: Ty Blach faces Tampa Bay

After last night's rain-delayed loss by the Orioles to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Birds host the Rays tonight in the second game of this four-game series, which continues through the weekend.

The Orioles (41-87) are 2-2 so far on this seven-game homestand, which began Monday. They have lost nine of their last 11 and 14 of 17 games and are 20-45 at home. O's starters have recorded just three quality starts in the past 25 games with a 7.30 ERA in that span.

The O's Hanser Alberto ranks fourth in the American League and 11th in the majors among qualifying hitters with a .313 batting average. He has hit safely in 58 of his last 76 games, with multi-hit contests in 28 of those 58. Since May 20, he is hitting .332 with 17 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 34 RBIs and 38 runs scored. Alberto is batting .399 against left-handers this season, best in the majors among qualifying hitters, and his 69 hits off of lefties are most in the majors.

Tampa Bay (75-54) is 9-4 in its last 13 games and 16-6 in the last 22 since July 28 - the second-best in the majors over that stretch behind the Mets (18-5). The Rays are a season-high-tying 21 games over .500, and with a win tonight would be 22 over for the first time since going 96-66 in 2010.

The Rays are 10-1 in their last 11 road games, including a club-record nine-game road winning streak that was snapped on Aug. 14. Tampa Bay is 41-23 (.641) on the road, second in the majors behind the Twins (40-22), compared to 34-31 (.523) at home, 17th in the majors. The Rays are 9-4 against the Orioles on the year.

This weekend, the Orioles will join Major League Baseball in celebrating the third annual Players' Weekend, a league-wide initiative that encourages players to showcase their personalities and passions. The O's will wear specially-designed, monochromatic, all-black uniforms throughout the weekend, complete with nicknames. Players may customize cleats, bats and batting gloves throughout the weekend. Game-worn jerseys and helmets will be authenticated and auctioned at MLB.com/auctions with proceeds benefitting the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, which aims to improve the caliber and availability of amateur baseball and softball programs across the United States. and Canada.

Several player-created signature food items will be available for purchase at various locations at Oriole Park, including items chosen by pitchers Miguel Castro, Paul Fry and John Means along with Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander.

On the farm: Bowie's Zac Lowther was named today as the left-handed starting pitcher on the Double-A Eastern League end-of-year All-Star team. Lowther has put together a record of 13-7 with 137 strikeouts and a 2.71 ERA over 136 innings in 24 starts in his first season for the Baysox.

Lowther currently leads the league in wins (13) and is also ranked among the league leaders in strikeouts (137 - 2nd), innings pitched (136 - 3rd), batting average against (.198 - 4th), ERA (2.71 - 5th), winning percentage (.650 - 6th), and WHIP (1.14 - 7th).

Lowther, who is rated by MLB.com as the 10th best prospect in the Baltimore organization, was a member of the Western Division roster for the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Game in Richmond and was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the period of May 13-19. Last season he was co-winner of the Jim Palmer Award along with Keegan Akin as the Orioles' Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

Tonight's game with Single-A Delmarva playing at Hagerstown has been rained out. It has been rescheduled as part of a doubleheader tomorrow at 5:05 p.m. Righty Grayson Rodriguez (9-3, 2.59 ERA) is set to pitch the opener for Delmarva, with Ryan Wilson (5-4, 2.79 ERA) going in the nightcap.