Steven Souza Jr. then drove in Morrison with a single, but it was the final hit of the game for the Rays, who have lost eight straight and 24 of 27. It’s important for Baltimore (53-36) to remain division leaders if the team wants to make the playoffs this October because a wildcard seed won’t come easy. The last Baltimore pitcher to have as many relief wins though 88 games of a season was Arthur Rhodes (eight) in 1996. And the Houston Astros are just one win away from 50 at 49-42.
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Baltimore owns a two-game lead in the American League East after winning for the fifth time in six games and will send ace Chris Tillman to the mound on Saturday.
The Baltimore Orioles enter the second half of the season in first place, but with many questions surrounding their pitching rotation. They’ve hit 137 home runs, and are on pace for 255. But they better be able to transfer that success into second-half stretch, or it would all be for nothing. Tonight was no different as the pair combined for two innings of no hit ball and struck out three. O’s starter Chris Tillman upped his record to 13-2 with the lone run allowed on four hits and three BB over seven frames.
Other than better starts from the current starters, the only in-house solution seems to be Dylan Bundy, and he wouldn’t be providing deep starts.
In 30 2/3 innings with Minnesota this season, Jepsen posted a dismal 6.16 ERA and saw a significant decline in almost every rate stat. He averaged just 6.5 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 with a 30.2 percent ground-ball rate.
Hardy’s fourth home run of the season came off Moore (5-7) after Matt Wieters’ two-out double in the second. The reason I say that Jennings will be traded is because on the off chance he is healthy, he has the ability to be a solid everyday outfielder, and the Rays won’t pay his high salary.
“I just have a good feeling about the second half”, Archer said.
Time will tell on who eventually gets the start for the Orioles on Sunday, but we, along with most Orioles’ fans really hope that Ubaldo Jimenez does not get the nod. He had a 1.29 ERA over his past three starts. The Orioles have won just 10 of 32 games in which they’ve scored three runs or fewer.
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“I’ve talked to a lot of people about it medically, trainers and pitching coaches, and everyone’s in agreement”, Showalter said. Showalter said RHP Darren O’Day (strained right hamstring) looked “crisp” during a bullpen session and will take part in a simulated game Tuesday. Team officials had floated only using him for 70 to 80 innings, but that stance seems to have softened in recent weeks and comments to a number of outlets both by manager Buck Showalter and general manager Dan Duquette.
