(Sports Network) - Tampa Bay has had a hard time winning in Cleveland. Hopefully its ace can turn things around, as the Rays send David Price to the mound this evening trying to stop the Cleveland Indians' incredible 18-game home winning streak against them in the second test of a three-game series at Progressive Field.
Cleveland continued its home mastery of the Rays in the opener of this set on Friday, as Fausto Carmona allowed just one unearned run in five strong innings, helping the Tribe to a 3-1 win in a rain-shortened, seven-inning affair.
The winning streak is the longest active stretch by one team over another at a particular stadium, and the Rays haven't won in Cleveland since September 28, 2005.
Carmona (10-7) won for the third straight start by allowing just one hit and one walk while fanning seven for the Indians, who have won seven of eight to begin the second half.
Trevor Crowe had two hits, including a solo homer, while Asdrubal Cabrera recorded three hits in the victory. Tony Sipp notched his first career save for pitching a hitless sixth and seventh.
Jeff Niemann (8-3) yielded two runs on five hits and three walks in five innings to receive the loss for the Rays, who are 3-4 on their nine-game road trip. John Jaso drove in the lone run in defeat.
Price, who is enjoying a breakout season, will look to rebound from his previous outing in which he was hammered by the New York Yankees for seven runs on seven hits and four walks in five innings, dropping him to 12-5, while raising his earned run average to 2.84.
It was the third loss in the last five starts for Price, but it was the first time since May 23rd that the Vanderbilt product surrendered more than three earned runs in a matchup.
The lackluster effort against New York could be due to the long break in between outings, but regardless, the setback dropped Price to just 6-4 in 10 road starts on the year.
Price beat the Indians the last time he faced them, yielding just an unearned run in six innings.
Taking the mound for the Indians will be Mitch Talbot, who has one victory in his last seven starts, and is winless in his last three outings. The last time Talbot was in action the right-hander tossed six strong innings, allowing just one run on six hits in five innings.
The Tribe eventually won that game by a 2-1 margin, but Talbot did not factor in the decision.
Talbot, who is just 3-4 in nine home starts this season with a 5.07 earned run average, will be making his first career start against Tampa.