Rays, behind new catalyst Chandler Simpson, seek sweep of Orioles

Chandler Simpson is quickly turning into a star for the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 24-year-old rookie has an 18-game hitting streak, has stolen 27 bases and is playing a solid center field. In his most recent feat, Simpson drove home the tying run and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of the Rays' 4-3 win over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.

The Rays will go for a series sweep of the Orioles on Sunday. They beat Baltimore 11-1 in the opener Friday, in the teams' first game after the All-Star break.

Simpson, the Rays' leadoff hitter, is batting.316 with 15 RBIs. He has yet to hit a home run, but his stolen bases have supplemented nicely the 32 steals from Jose Caballero, who leads the major leagues.

To add to his strong Saturday, Simpson went to the wall and leaped high to catch a fly ball from Jackson Holliday that could have gone for extra bases. Instead, it was the final out.

"I knew he had hit it good and that I was approaching the wall, so I just wanted to get behind it," Simpson said. "I knew I had to leap and I got it."

Simpson also took a calm approach to his at-bat in the eighth with the Rays down 2-1. He fought off a two-strike pitch and then singled up the middle to bring home Ha-Seong Kim.

Simpson then stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error to give the Rays the lead.

Rays manager Kevin Cash has been impressed with the rookie.

"His speed is great and he does a great job of putting the bat on the ball," Cash said. "He moves the ball around very well. He has done that since he has been with us."

The Rays will send right-hander Ryan Pepiot (6-7, 3.38 ERA) to the mound in the series finale. He took the 4-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox on July 13 in his most recent outing, when he gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk in six innings.

He is 2-1 with a 4.29 ERA in four career starts against the Orioles.

Pepiot is 1-0 in two starts against Baltimore this season. He gave up four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings on June 27 in a 22-8 loss but walked away with a no-decision. On June 16, he beat the Orioles when he gave up just one earned in eight innings of a 7-1 win. He struck out 11.

The Orioles will counter Sunday with left-hander Trevor Rogers (2-1, 1.53).

Rogers was acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Miami Marlins last season. He partially dislocated his kneecap in the offseason and did not make his first start until May 24.

He lost his most recent start (July 12 against the Marlins), despite giving up only one run in 6 2/3 innings of the 6-0 loss. Before that, however, he had won two of three starts.

He is 0-0 with a 4.40 ERA in three career starts against the Rays. He has faced Tampa Bay once this season, getting a no-decision after giving up three runs in 2 1/3 innings of a 12-8 loss on June 18.

"There has been big improvement in the work he has done," Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said. "He has faced some good teams and came out pretty good. When the umpire tells you a guy has good stuff, he is going pretty good."

--Field Level Media