Tampa Bay's Matt Moore has been nearly flawless this season. He eyes a third straight win on Wednesday when the Rays continue a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Moore gave up two hits in six scoreless innings his first time out, then yielded just one hit without a run in 5 1/3 innings in his last start versus Texas. However, he walked six batters in that one.
"(Moore) has this nice little tempo, then all of a sudden you see the tempo (go away) and there's this little thing at the end of the delivery," Tampa manager Joe Maddon said. "A little lagging of the arm. ... But when he's right on and that thing comes together, it's beautiful to watch from the side."
Moore, who has struck out 13 batters in 11 1/3 innings this season, is 2-2 lifetime against the Orioles with a 7.00 ERA.
Baltimore, meanwhile, will hand the ball to righty Chris Tillman, who has yet to record a decision this season, but has pitched to a 7.00 ERA. Tillman was better his last time out than he was in his debut, as he held the Boston Red Sox to a pair of runs in 5 1/3 innings. He had surrendered five runs and walked four batters in 3 2/3 innings in his first start.
"It was OK," he said after allowing six hits and two walks along with five strikeouts. "Not where I need to be yet, but I was able to make some adjustments in-game and I was happy with that. But I'd like to get my work in in between starts and be able to start the game better."
Tillman has faced the Rays seven times and is 1-3 with a 4.78 ERA.
Baltimore drew first blood in this series on Tuesday, as Jake Arrieta struck out seven over five-plus innings of one-run ball to help the Orioles to a 5-4 win.
Arrieta (1-0) allowed three hits and walked five to earn his first victory since June 13 of last season. Reliever Pedro Strop gave up three runs on a pair of homers in the eighth to make it interesting, but closer Jim Johnson retired the Rays in order in the ninth to nail down his sixth save of the season.
Matt Wieters smacked a solo home run and Nick Markakis collected two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the O's, who have won two of their last three.
"He battled," Wieters said of Arrieta. "He didn't have his best command, but he was still able to pound the zone enough to be able to make some pitches when he needed to."
Evan Longoria launched a two-run homer, while Kelly Johnson and Desmond Jennings each added a solo shot in the setback, Tampa Bay's fourth in a row.
Rays starter Roberto Hernandez (0-3) was tagged for five runs -- three earned -- on five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings to absorb the loss.
Baltimore, which took two of three from the Rays earlier in the year, will be home for the next nine games.
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