Orioles at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays have rebounded from a rough stretch with three straight victories and look to take advantage of the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday in the second contest of their three-game series. The Rays lost 12 of 17 before taking the final two games against Texas over the weekend and rallied for a 6-3 victory over Baltimore on Monday as Kevin Kiermaier launched a go-ahead, three-run homer.
“We need that,” Kiermaier told Fox Sports Sun after Monday’s victory. “Everyone knows how this last road trip went for us (3-7). So for us to rattle off three wins in a row, it’s big. We want to close out the first half on a good note.” All-Star Charlie Morton goes after his ninth victory of the season for the Rays, who hold down the first wild-card spot in the American League, while the Orioles likely will send Asher Wojciechowski to the mound after acquiring him from Cleveland on Monday. Baltimore owns the worst record in baseball (24-60) after losing 15 of its last 18 contests and scored a total of 34 runs in its three victories during that stretch. Hanser Alberto has gone 14-for-39 with eight RBIs over his last nine games to raise his batting average to .315 while Jonathan Villar has recorded eight hits in 18 at-bats and scored five runs over his last five contests.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Asher Wojciechowski (2017: 4-3, 6.50 ERA) vs. Rays RH Charlie Morton (8-2, 2.43)
Wojciechowski is expected to get the call and make his first appearance in the majors since 2017, when he made eight starts and 17 relief appearances with Cincinnati. The Orioles sent cash to the Indians for the 30-year-old native of South Carolina, who has gone 8-2 with a 3.61 ERA in 15 starts for Triple-A Columbus this season. Wojciechowski, who will face Tampa Bay for the first time in his career, has registered 80 strikeouts over 78 2/3 innings in 30 major-league games.
Morton has earned his second straight All-Star Game invitation but is winless in his last three starts after giving up five runs - three earned - over 6 1/3 innings at Minnesota on Wednesday. The 35-year-old from New Jersey won four straight starts before the drought, yielding a total of three runs with 31 strikeouts and four walks in 27 frames. Morton, who is 1-2 with a 4.41 ERA in four career games against Baltimore, has struck out 120 batters over 100 innings this year while issuing 34 free passes.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles 1B-OF Trey Mancini is 6-for-16 over his last four contests and has hit safely in 21 of his last 25 games.
2. Tampa Bay 3B-1B Yandy Diaz has gone 6-for-11 with four doubles and six runs in his last three contests.
3. Baltimore LHP John Means (7-4, 2.50 ERA) was named to the AL All-Star team on Sunday.