(My Sportsbook) - The Baltimore Orioles may be ahead of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the American League East standings, but the gap between the teams has been closing. Tonight the improving Rays aim to continue their recent surge when they host the slumping Orioles in the opener of a three-game series from Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay has won eight of its last 10 games and is fresh off an impressive weekend showing against the powerful New York Yankees. The Devil Rays came into the Bronx and took two of three contests, including an 8-2 triumph in Sunday's rubber match.

Carlos Pena staked Tampa Bay to a 5-1 lead with a three-run homer in the seventh inning, the slugger's 34th of the season. Pena's blast tied a franchise record for home runs in a single year, a mark initially set by Jose Canseco in 1999 and matched by current Oriole Aubrey Huff four years later.

Akinori Iwamura added a two-run homer for the Devil Rays and Dioner Navarro and Josh Wilson had solo blasts to back five solid innings from starter Jason Hammel.

Hammel (2-4) held the Yankees to a run on five hits while striking out seven batters without a walk to earn his first major league victory as a starting pitcher.

Baltimore has been headed in the opposite direction lately. Sunday's 3-2 loss to Boston was the club's 11th setback in 12 contests, and the Orioles' lead on Tampa Bay for fourth place in the AL East has been cut to four games.

Ramon Hernandez had a solo home run and Melvin Mora delivered an RBI single in defeat.

Orioles starter Daniel Cabrera (9-14) allowed three runs on just five hits and fanned seven through the first six innings of a tough-luck loss.

Baltimore sends Kurt Birkins to the hill in tonight's series opener. The left- hander will be making his first major league start after 45 career relief appearances, including 10 such outings this season.

Birkins is taking the rotation spot of Steve Trachsel, who was traded to the Cubs on Friday. The 27-year-old has spent the majority of this season at Triple-A Norfolk and has struggled in his time with the Orioles, having allowed 16 runs and 26 hits over 18 innings with the big league club.

He did throw a combined 2 1/3 scoreless innings in back-to-back appearances against the Devil Rays last week, however, but has a 10.13 ERA in five total games pitched versus Tampa Bay.

James Shields faces the Orioles for the second time in six days when he takes the mound for Tampa Bay tonight. The right-hander got a no decision in Wednesday's 5-4 win at Camden Yards after allowing four runs on 10 hits in eight innings of work.

Shields had permitted two runs or less in each of his previous four starts before Wednesday's outing. He is 2-1 with a strong 2.55 ERA over his last five appearances.

The 25-year-old will be making his seventh career start against Baltimore and is 0-1 with a 4.07 ERA lifetime versus the Orioles.

Baltimore is 10-5 against the Devil Rays this season and has taken four of the six meetings between the teams at Tropicana Field. The Orioles have won 16 of their last 22 overall encounters with Tampa Bay as well.