Baltimore @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( May 31, 2015 ) Tampa Bay 9, Baltimore 5

Two struggling teams tangle when the Tampa Bay Rays host the Baltimore Orioles on Friday to open a three-game set. Both American League East squads are 2-4 since the All-Star break after the Orioles were swept in three games at the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay dropped two of three at Philadelphia, which owns the worst record in baseball.

The Rays were 40-30 and led the AL East on June 20 before losing 19 of the last 27 contests. “Kind of a little bit of a gut check for all of us, I think. Myself included,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash told reporters after a 5-4 loss Wednesday. “If 24 hours off helps to do that, evaluate that, then so be it. We need to kind of flip a switch here. Now.” The Orioles were outscored 16-8 by the Yankees and have won only five of 19 games since June 28. Chris Tillman looks to extend his unbeaten streak to nine games for Baltimore but must contain Evan Longoria, who has homered six times against him.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Chris Tillman (7-7, 4.96 ERA) vs. Rays RH Chris Archer (9-7, 2.73)

Tillman is 5-0 in his last eight starts, allowing four total runs over the past four across 25 2/3 innings, trimming his ERA by more than one run. The 27-year-old California native’s last loss was May 31 against the Rays, when he permitted six runs (five earned) in 4 2/3 frames. Longoria is 15-for-40 with nine RBIs overall against Tillman, who is 5-8 with a 4.05 ERA in 17 career starts versus Tampa Bay.

Archer attempts to end a four-game winless streak after allowing two runs over seven innings in his last start at Toronto in a 4-0 defeat. The 26-year-old All-Star boasts 153 strikeouts in 128 2/3 innings, but has been better on the road (6-2, 2.26 ERA) than in his home park (3-5, 3.13). Archer is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts against the Orioles this season and 1-4 all time in seven appearances (six starts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore 1B Chris Davis has homered in back-to-back games and joins SS J.J. Hardy with a six-game hitting streak.

2. Tampa Bay 2B Logan Forsythe has hit safely in all six games since the All-Star break, going is 8-for-19 with a homer and five RBIs.

3. The Orioles’ starting pitchers are 30-38 with a 4.34 ERA while the relievers stand 16-10 with a 2.81 mark.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Orioles 1