Preview
Tampa Bay at Baltimore
When: 1:35 PM ET, Sunday, May 19, 2013
Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
By SportsDirect Inc.
Strong pitching rarely has been highlighted as the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays have split eight meetings this season, with each team producing 53 runs. Seven-game winner Matt Moore looks to change that as he and the Rays attempt to complete a three-game sweep at Baltimore on Sunday. Tampa Bay scored 22 times in taking the first two games of the series, rallying for six runs in the ninth inning on Saturday to post a 10-6 victory. The Rays have won eight of 10 while the Orioles have dropped four straight.
Moore is playing the stopper role with 2012 Cy Young Award winner David Price struggling and injured. Tampa Bay has been one of baseball’s best offensive teams the last month, joining the Orioles near the top of the league in runs. Chris Davis is among the league leaders with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs (15 against Tampa Bay) for Baltimore, which totaled 26 hits over the last two games.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, SunSports (Tampa Bay), WJZ, MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Matt Moore (7-0, 2.44 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (3-1, 3.40)
Moore has been mediocre in his last three starts, allowing nine runs in 16 innings, but he has not stopped winning. The 23-year-old was dominant his first five outings, giving up four runs over 32 frames. Moore beat Baltimore on April 17, yielding two runs over 6 2/3 innings, and is 3-2 with a 2.60 ERA in six appearances (five starts) against the Orioles. Matt Wieters is 6-for-11 with two homers against Moore.
Tillman lost his only game against Moore and the Rays, surrendering four runs on six hits in five innings. Since then, the 25-year-old has allowed two runs or fewer in four of five starts and is 3-0. Tillman has struck out 37 and walked 20 while giving up six homers in 47 2/3 frames. The right-hander is 1-4 in eight starts against Tampa Bay with a 5.06 ERA. Evan Longoria is 7-for-15 with three blasts against Tillman.
WALK-OFFS 1. Longoria recorded a pop-fly double in the ninth Saturday to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.
2. Orioles RF Nick Markakis has at least two hits in six of his last eight contests.
3. Rays 1B James Loney was hitless Saturday but still is batting .422 on the road this season.
PREDICTION: Orioles 4, Rays 3
Stats and Records
Team Comparison
| |
W/L |
Strk |
Home |
Away |
East |
Central |
West |
IL |
| Tampa Bay |
21-20 |
W1 |
14-8 |
7-12 |
8-12 |
4-5 |
4-2 |
5-1 |
| Baltimore |
23-18 |
L3 |
9-9 |
14-9 |
9-7 |
5-4 |
7-4 |
2-3 |
Last Meeting
|
Tampa Bay |
Baltimore |
|
Date |
Away |
Home |
Avg |
HR |
OPS |
Avg |
HR |
OPS |
| 5/17/13 |
TB 12
|
BAL 10 |
.436 |
1 |
1.109 |
.333 |
2 |
.991 |
Player Stats
|
Batting |
Player |
Avg |
Hits |
OPS |
| Tampa Bay |
J. Loney
|
.500 |
10 |
1.322 |
| Baltimore |
C. Davis
|
.480 |
12 |
1.552 |
|
Pitching |
ERA |
Avg |
K |
| Tampa Bay |
6.53 |
.298 |
47 |
| Baltimore |
5.86 |
.284 |
44 |
|
Batting |
Player |
Avg |
Hits |
OPS |
| Tampa Bay |
J. Loney
|
.371 |
46 |
.964 |
| Baltimore |
M. Machado
|
.339 |
60 |
.911 |
|
Pitching |
ERA |
Avg |
K |
| Tampa Bay |
4.38 |
.261 |
349 |
| Baltimore |
4.20 |
.265 |
276 |
