Rays wrap up set with Orioles at Camden Yards

Baseball Betting Lines

07/21/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays will attempt to bounce back from a frustrating loss to the Baltimore Orioles when the two American League East inhabitants square off again this afternoon at Camden Yards, but it looks like as if they'll have to do so without the services of one of their best players.

The last-place Orioles evened this three-game series by virtue of last night's 11-10, 13-inning victory, in which the Rays twice failed on chances to close out the contest. Baltimore scored twice in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game into extra frames, then once more in the 12th after Tampa Bay took a brief 10-9 lead in the top of the inning.

Baltimore finally prevailed when Cesar Izturis drew a leadoff walk off Lance Cormier (3-2) in the bottom of the 13th, advanced to second on a sacrifice, and scored on Julio Lugo's base hit to right.

"This was a total team effort," said Lugo. "Everybody did a little bit of something. We make plays together."

Izturis also ignited the Orioles' ninth-inning rally with a leadoff single against Rays closer Rafael Soriano. Felix Pie followed with a double before Miguel Tejada drove home both runners with a two-base hit that knotted the score at 9-9.

Tampa Bay went back ahead on Willy Aybar's RBI single in the top of the 12th, but Baltimore again answered in its half of the inning when Corey Patterson doubled and later crossed the plate on Scott Moore's sacrifice fly.

Tejada also delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh, while Luke Scott homered twice and finished 3-for-4 with three RBI to help the Orioles stop a four-game slide. Ty Wigginton and Adam Jones each added solo blasts to Baltimore's 16-hit attack.

Tampa Bay received solo home runs from Matt Joyce, B.J. Upton and Reid Brignac on the night, but couldn't hold onto a four-run lead and lost for the third time in five games since the All-Star break. Aybar ended 2-for-6 and knocked in three runs in the disappointing defeat.

"This was a game we should've won but we didn't," said Tampa manager Joe Maddon. "I give [the Orioles] credit -- they played very hard and they kept coming after us. I commend them for their competitive spirit."

Tuesday's loss was made more painful when Rays outfielder Carl Crawford was forced to leave the game in the first inning after being hit in the groin by a pickoff attempt from Baltimore starter Jake Arrieta. The 2010 All-Star is considered day-to-day, but likely won't be in the lineup this afternoon.

On a positive note, the Rays remained 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East after New York lost to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday.

Tampa Bay had won 10 of its 12 most recent meetings with the Orioles, including six of seven bouts to begin this season, prior to yesterday's setback.

James Shields, who'll be toeing the rubber for the Rays this afternoon, has also fared quite well when facing the Orioles over the years, having amassed a 6-2 record with a 3.01 ERA in 16 career starts. He's been especially good pitching at Camden Yards, where the right-hander owns a 3-0 mark and a 2.70 ERA over seven previous visits.

The past two months haven't been good for Shields, however, as he enters this afternoon's tilt having lost eight of his past 10 decisions and registered a subpar 6.75 ERA during that 10-start span. Home runs have been a particular issue for the usually-steady hurler, who's served up 12 long balls in 60 innings of work over his rough stretch.

Shields allowed two more homers in his first start after the All-Star break, but still managed to hold the heavy-hitting New York Yankees to three runs over six innings this past Friday. He did not get a decision in an eventual 5-4 Tampa loss.

In his only prior encounter with Baltimore this season, Shields permitted three runs and struck out six in a six-inning no-decision at Tropicana Field on April 6.

Orioles scheduled starter Brad Bergesen has also been in a serious rut as of late. The second-year hurler has taken a loss in three straight outings and dropped five consecutive decisions since a May 12 victory over Seattle, while surrendering four runs or more seven times in that eight-start sequence.

Bergesen's slide continued when he was reached for four runs and nine hits through six innings against Toronto last Friday at Camden Yards. The right- hander was even less effective when taking on the Rays at home back on April 14, with Tampa Bay scoring eight runs (five earned) and homering twice before he was removed after only three innings.

The 24-year-old also lost his only previous start against the Rays, which also took place in Baltimore, and has allowed 12 runs (nine earned) over 8 2/3 innings versus today's opponent.