Baltimore @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2011 ) Baltimore 3, Tampa Bay 6
THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Rays are 5-4 in their last nine games, but that’s not good enough this time of year. The Rays are nine games behind Boston in the wild-card race and need to win the next four to give themselves a chance before the Red Sox come to town this Friday. Jeremy Hellickson will go to the mound for the Rays on Sunday to start that quest in the rubber match of the three-game series with the visiting Baltimore Orioles. Tampa Bay won just its second game in eight tries against the Orioles at Tropicana Field Saturday.
TV: 1:40 p.m. EST; MASN2 (Baltimore), SunSports (Tampa Bay).
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Jeremy Guthrie (6-16, 4.42 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (11-10, 3.01 ERA)
Guthrie has put two solid starts together, allowing four runs in 13 innings for one victory. He pitched eight scoreless innings to defeat the Rays on April 1, but has given up 13 runs in 19 innings in three starts - two losses. Guthrie is 6-9 lifetime with a 4.18 ERA in 114 innings versus the Rays. B.J. Upton is 11-for-39 with two homers and 12 RBIs against Guthrie.
Hellickson has lost three of his last four decisions, but has only allowed nine earned runs in 32 2/3 innings during that stretch. He pitched his only career shutout against the Orioles on May 13 and is 2-1 against Baltimore with a 2.29 ERA in 2011. He is 3-1 lifetime against the Orioles with a 2.63 ERA in 27 1/3 innings. Nick Markakis is just 3-for-14 against Hellickson, but hit a grand slam against him on June 10.
ABOUT THE ORIOLES (55-82): The Orioles have finally clinched their 14th consecutive losing season, but they would like to play spoiler and find something to build on in the last 25 days of the season. One thing that they can be happy about is the improvement of 25-year old catcher Matt Wieters, who has career highs in hits (114) and homers (16), and has matched his career best in RBIs (55). Wieters is also second in the majors in throwing out runners. Wieters is 6-for-15 with two homers and five RBIs in his last four games.
ABOUT THE RAYS (75-63): The Rays will have to be running on all cylinders to reach the playoffs and that means several players will have to pick it up. Upton came through with five RBIs Saturday, breaking out of a 4-for-40 slump, but they need more. Desmond Jennings has slowed down, going 2-for-22 the last six games, and veteran Johnny Damon is 1-for-14 the last five. Matt Joyce has done his part, going 15-for-43 with seven RBIs the last 13 games. Ben Zobrist, who is five for his last 40, is day to day with neck stiffness.
FINAL PITCH: The Rays made three errors Saturday. It was only the second game this season they had three or more in a game. Sean Rodriguez made all three against Texas on May 30.