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The Orioles roll into Tampa Bay having won two of four games against the White Sox in Chicago in the previous series. Against the Rays this season, the Orioles are 3-3. For each game this series, the Rays will send a reliever to the mound to start and then follow with a regular starting pitcher after an inning or two. The goal is to avoid having the second pitcher, the 'starter', have to face a lineup three times in one game.
Reliever Sergio Romo will start the game tonight, pitching an inning or two maybe, before giving way to pseudo-starter Ryan Yarbrough. Last weekend against the Angels, Romo had a strong showing. This past Saturday he struck out three batters in an inning, and the very next day, on Sunday, he struck out four batters in two innings. So far this season, Romo is 1-0 with a 4.34 ERA and 26 strikeouts.
Twenty-six year old Rays lefty Ryan Yarbrough is 4-2 with a 3.54 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 40.2 innings so far this year.
The Orioles will send David Hess to the mound for his third career start. He is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and seven strikeouts on the year. He got the win in his first career start against the Rays, when he went six innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs, zero walks and three strikeouts. In his second start against Boston, he did not fare as well. He took the loss, going 4.2 innings and allowing eight hits, eight earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts.