Tampa Bay @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 25, 2012 ) Tampa Bay 10, Baltimore 1

The Tampa Bay Rays made one addition to their roster and saw an immediate improvement. With the optimism surrounding Evan Longoria’s potential return, the Rays are looking more like playoff contenders and less like trade deadline sellers. The Baltimore Orioles have lost all the optimism surrounding their five-game winning streak by dropping three straight while totaling three runs. Tampa Bay will be looking to finish off a road sweep on Thursday.

The Orioles had pushed themselves back into the second wild card spot with the five-game winning streak that lasted through Sunday and had gotten strong starting pitching in each of those wins. A weak offense tied their hands in back-to-back losses to begin the week and the pitching finally broke down in Wednesday’s 10-1 loss. That offensive outburst eclipsed the run total of the previous four games combined for the Rays, who are now tied with the Orioles for second place in the East at 51-47. Ryan Roberts made his debut for Tampa Bay on Wednesday, chipping in a two-run homer and scoring three times.

TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, SUN (Tampa Bay), MASN (Baltimore), MLB Network

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH James Shields (8-6, 4.39 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Chris Tillman (2-1, 1.15)

Shields has seen his name pop up in trade rumors as he struggles to find a groove. The right-hander broke a string of five straight starts allowing four runs or more last time out, when he was reached for three runs and four hits while striking out 10 in 7 2/3 innings. Shields was knocked around for six runs (four earned) over 6 1/3 innings at Baltimore on May 13 but still came out with the victory in a 9-8 final. He is 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA in 22 career starts against the Orioles.

Tillman will be making his first home start of the season after three on the road and is coming off a strong outing at Cleveland. The 24-year old allowed one run and six hits while striking out four in 6 2/3 innings to pick up a win. Tillman has never beaten the Rays in his career, going 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in five starts. Ben Zobrist has homered twice off Tillman.

WALK-OFFS

1. Longoria (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Durham on Thursday. He will serve as designated hitter until he feels comfortable enough to play third base.

2. Orioles C Matt Wieters is 1-for-27 with 13 strikeouts over the last seven games.

3. Rays C Jose Lobaton hit his first home run and had his first three-hit game on Wednesday.