Rays, Orioles finally get series going
BALTIMORE -- The Tampa Bay Rays will need to wait one more day to try to extend their four-game winning streak and see an old friend. Tampa Bay's series opener with the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday was postponed two hours before the planned 7:05 p.m. start time as bad weather was heading for the city. The game is going to be rescheduled on May 12 as part of a single-admission doubleheader starting at 3:05 p.m. For Wednesday's series opener, the starting pitchers will remain the same. The Rays' Jake Faria (1-1, 5.82 ERA) will go against former Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb (0-2, 15.43). The Rays pushed back Chris Archer one day, and Baltimore did the same with ace Dylan Bundy. Both will start on Thursday. The sub-plot to the Wednesday game will be the Rays going up against long-time Tampa Bay starter Cobb. He made 115 starts for the Rays from 2011-2017 and had a 48-35 record with a 3.50 ERA in those games. Cobb will be making his first start versus his old team. "I miss Cobb a lot," said Tampa Bay infielder Brad Miller. "He was a guy (who was the) ultimate competitor. He's a bulldog, just really intense." Cobb has started poorly this season for Baltimore, allowing 12 earned runs on 20 hits in just seven innings so far. However, his former skipper is not concerned. "We felt good when Alex Cobb took the ball every fifth day for us; we felt we had a really good chance to win," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "He's going to get going here. Hopefully, he can wait one more start before he does." Cobb also said the entire experience will be a bit unusual for him. "It will be a little odd seeing the jersey," Cobb said to the Tampa Bay Times. "Been part of the family for so long." Faria is 1-0 with a 4.09 ERA in four career games, including three starts, against the Orioles. He has had just one bad start out of four this season and will be facing a Baltimore team struggling at the plate. Tampa Bay also had the day off on Monday but is coming off a big win on Sunday when Carlos Gomez homered to beat the Twins 8-6 and stretched the team's winning streak to four. Gomez came into the game mired in a 2-for-34 skid. But he ended the game feeling much better about things. The Rays scored 26 runs in their three-game sweep of the Twins, getting at least eight in every game. Cash said he knows the Orioles are banged up, and they may lose another starter as infielder Tim Beckham (groin/foot) appears headed to the disabled list Wednesday. Baltimore claimed infielder Jace Peterson off waivers from the Yankees, and he joins the team for this game. The Orioles also transferred pitcher Gabriel Ynoa to the 60-day disabled list (right shoulder inflammation), but they are hoping to get some quick help from Peterson. "Peterson is a versatile player who has experience playing all over the field, who had his best year in 2015 playing second base," Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette told The Baltimore Sun in a text message. "Given our need and his experience, he should be able to contribute right away to the O's." The Orioles need contributions on offense, which has struggled throughout the team's 6-17 start. Cleveland took three of four from the Orioles, who have lost nine of their last 10. |