Tampa Bay Rays news and notes

The dish

Rays at Orioles

When/where: 7:05 tonight; Camden Yards, Baltimore

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Probable pitchers:

Rays: RHP Matt Garza (13-7, 3.53)

ORIOLES: RHP Kevin Millwood (3-14, 5.34)

Watch for …

Feeling it: Garza has been on a roll, having allowed one earned run or fewer and lasting at least seven innings in each of his past three starts. Generally, Garza has fared well against the Orioles, going 8-1 with a 3.14 ERA in 11 career starts.

Bounce back: Millwood has had a rough season, having lost six of his last seven decisions. But the veteran pitched well in his last start, throwing eight shutout innings in a win at Anaheim.

Key matchups

Orioles vs. Garza

Adam Jones 8-for-21, 2 HR

Nick Markakis 4-for-31

Luke Scott 3-for-15, 2 HR

rays vs. Millwood

Jason Bartlett 5-for-18

Carl Crawford 2-for-11

Carlos Peña 4-for-13, HR

With honors

LHP David Price, who picked up his 16th victory Wednesday, is getting recognized as a potential AL Cy Young candidate. Though Price said he hasn't given it much thought yet, he's honored to be in the conversation. "That's a name you grow up hearing forever," he said. "When there's a kid that's really dominant on the mound when you're a little kid, everybody calls him Cy Young. It's something you always hear about. … There are a ton of guys throwing the ball well right now. To be in that group of guys, it's good in itself."

Number of the day

10-2 Rays record this season at Camden Yards (Baltimore) and Fenway Park (Boston), their first two stops on a nine-game road trip.

On deck

Saturday: at Orioles, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (13-11, 4.73); Orioles — Jeremy Guthrie (8-13, 3.94)

Sunday: at Orioles, 1:35, Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (11-9, 4.29); Orioles — Brian Matusz (6-12, 4.79)

Joe Smith, Times staff writer

Quote of the day

"This is as much fun as I've had playing baseball. I think, as a kid, this is what you want to play for. This is it. You want to play for the pennant, you want to play for the playoffs, and the World Series. It makes it a lot more enjoyable."

Matt Joyce, Rays OF, on playing in his first pennant race

Quote of the day II

"They're a bunch of young guys that are just out there to make a mess of everything."

Matt Garza, Rays RHP, on the Orioles, who are in last place in the AL but can play the role of spoiler against the contenders

The new Dr. J

Rays manager Joe Maddon, class of '76, receives his honorary doctor of letters degree from Lafayette College in Easton, Pa., on Thursday night.

American League wild card

W L GB GR

Rays8251—29

. Next five days: at Bal., at Bal., at Bal., at Bos., at Bos.

Red Sox765861/228

. Next five days: vs. Chi., vs. Chi., vs. Chi., vs. TB, vs. TB

White Sox7360929

. Next five days: at Bos., at Bos., at Bos., at Det., at Det.