Improving Orioles, streaky Rays open second half in Tampa

The Baltimore Orioles are remaining confident despite a slow start to the season contributing significantly to their current place in the standings.

Mired in the cellar of the American League East, the Orioles will look to continue their slow ascent on Friday when they return from the All-Star break to open a three-game series against the host Tampa Bay Rays.

Baltimore limped out of the blocks by losing 34 of its first 50 games, a stretch that included the dismissal of manager Brandon Hyde. The Orioles, however, slowly have turned it around with interim manager Tony Mansolino at the controls.

"Right now, the biggest thing for me is to make sure this thing continues to go well," Mansolino said.

"We were in the national media every day for all the wrong reasons the first three weeks of doing this, and now it seems like we've been in the national media for the right reasons because we're playing well. We've got good players."

One of those "good players" is Cedric Mullins, who leads the team in homers (13) and RBIs (41). However, he is just 3-for-25 with eight strikeouts against Tampa Bay this season.

Promising second baseman Jackson Holliday has hit safely in seven of his last eight games overall.

Baltimore's Charlie Morton (5-7, 5.18 ERA) will take the mound against Tampa Bay's Taj Bradley (5-6, 4.60) on Friday in a battle of right-handers.

Morton has reversed course from a dismal beginning to the season, answering a 0-7 start with a 5-0 record and 2.76 ERA over his last eight starts.

Included in the latter stretch was a strong effort versus the Rays on June 19 when the 41-year-old allowed one run on six hits with seven strikeouts in six innings of a 4-1 victory.

A two-time World Series champion, Morton sports a 5-3 record with a 2.78 ERA in 55 innings over nine career starts against Tampa Bay.

Bradley, 24, struggled in a pair of outings against Baltimore last month, permitting a total of 12 runs (11 earned) on 14 hits in 6 2/3 innings. He received a no-decision on June 18 and a loss on June 29 to drop to 1-3 with an 8.65 ERA in 26 innings over six career starts versus the Orioles.

The Rays resided 11 games above .500 before losing 11 of their last 14 contests. A tough patch to be certain, but not one that is expected to derail the season in the eyes of Tampa Bay's All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda.

"We've had our ups and downs, but I'm still happy with the way we've played. The streak that we are in right now, it's part of baseball, so that's how I see it," Aranda said. "I think the break is going to help just (have a) fresh mind when we come back. It is what it is right now, but I'm very confident that we can come back from that."

Tampa Bay rookie Chandler Simpson is riding a 16-game hitting streak. He is 4-for-10 with two runs this season against Baltimore.

--Field Level Media