Tampa Bay hosts Baltimore, looks to build on Morton's solid showing
Baltimore Orioles (24-61, fifth in the AL East) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (50-36, second in the AL East)
PITCHING PROBABLES: Orioles: John Means (7-4, 2.50 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 64 strikeouts) Rays: Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.64 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 51 strikeouts)
LINE: Rays favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: Tampa Bay heads into the matchup fresh off a strong showing by Charlie Morton. Morton pitched seven innings, giving up one run on four hits with 12 strikeouts against Baltimore.
The Rays are 17-14 against the rest of their division. Tampa Bay is slugging .424 as a unit. Brandon Lowe leads the club with a .523 slugging percentage, including 35 extra-base hits and 16 home runs.
The Orioles are 10-25 in division games. Baltimore has a collective on-base percentage of .301, led by Trey Mancini with a mark of .354. The Rays won the last meeting 6-3. Charlie Morton earned his ninth victory and Lowe went 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs for Tampa Bay. Asher Wojciechowski took his first loss for Baltimore.
TOP PERFORMERS: Lowe leads the Rays with 16 home runs and is batting .276. Kevin Kiermaier is 5-for-28 with a triple, two home runs and seven RBIs over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.
Mancini leads the Orioles with 38 extra base hits and has 40 RBIs. Chance Sisco is 7-for-20 with two doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs over the last 10 games for Baltimore.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rays: 6-4, .223 batting average, 3.19 ERA, outscored opponents by eight runs
Orioles: 3-7, .279 batting average, 6.07 ERA, outscored opponents by one run
Rays Injuries: Tyler Glasnow: 60-day IL (forearm), Jose De Leon: 60-day IL (elbow), Diego Castillo: 10-day IL (shoulder), Anthony Banda: 60-day IL (elbow), Daniel Robertson: 10-day IL (knee), Brandon Lowe: day-to-day (leg), Matt Duffy: 60-day IL (back), Christian Arroyo: 10-day IL (forearm), Anthony Bemboom: 60-day IL (knee).
Orioles Injuries: Josh Rogers: 60-day IL (elbow), Nate Karns: 60-day IL (forearm), Alex Cobb: 60-day IL (lumbar strain), DJ Stewart: 10-day IL (ankle), Mark Trumbo: 60-day IL (knee).
