BALTIMORE -- Both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles are mathematically alive in the American League wild-card race.
Their four-game series could keep one team on that path while knocking the other out of the running.
The Orioles (74-80) gained the upper hand with a 3-1 victory in the opener on Thursday. The Rays (74-79) now must find a way to bounce back on Friday, though they are still ahead of Baltimore in the standings.
The Minnesota Twins sit in the second AL wild-card position, 2 1/2 games in front of the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers.