Rays extra

TONIGHT: RAYS VS. ORIOLES

WHEN/WHERE: 7:15; Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg.

PITCHERS: Orioles -- Rodrigo Lopez (4-0, 1.91); Rays -- Ryan Rupe (3-3, 4.30).

TV/RADIO: Fox Sports Net; WFLA-AM 970.

WORTH NOTING: Rupe is 5-4 with a 5.75 ERA lifetime against the Orioles. He last pitched against Baltimore on Aug. 22 and got a no-decision. ... Lopez is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in eight career innings against the Rays.

RAYS TICKETS: Available at Tropicana Field box office, through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at devilrays.com or ticketmaster.com and at the Rays Dugout Store at WestShore Plaza. Beach tickets ($5 for adults, $2 for children and seniors) go on sale two hours before home games.

INFORMATION: Call toll-free 1-888-FAN-RAYS.

RIPPED FROM THE TABLOIDS

From Ken Davidoff in Thursday's Newsday: "No one was fully ready for Alfonso Soriano's early fireworks -- except, of course, Soriano himself. His first-pitch home run christened his team's pleasure cruise last night, and he added a second homer in the second inning, putting his signature on the Yankees' 7-2 laugher over the lower-than-lowly Devil Rays, who have lost a club-record 13 straight."

RAYS BY THE NUMBERS

(through Wednesday)

HOME/ROAD: 7-11/2-12

DAY/NIGHT: 4-7/5-16

GRASS/TURF: 2-8/7-15

VS. EAST: 3-16

VS. CENTRAL: 6-7

VS. WEST: 0-0

VS. NL: 0-0

VS. RH/LH STARTERS: 8-19/1-4

AHEAD AFTER 6/7/8: 5-6/6-5/7-4

BEHIND AFTER 6/7/8: 2-14/1-17/0-17

TIED AFTER 6/7/8: 2-3/2-1/2-2

ONE-RUN/TWO-RUN GAMES: 4-6/2-6

EXTRA INNINGS: 2-2

LAST AT-BAT WINS: 4

COME-FROM-BEHIND WINS: 6

COME-FROM-AHEAD LOSSES: 13

HITTING HOMER: 3-10

SCORING FIRST: 5-7

SCORING 4 OR MORE: 6-6

SCORING FEWER THAN 4: 4-16

OUTHITTING OPPONENTS: 6-2

BEING OUTHIT: 1-18

GETTING 10 OR MORE HITS: 6-6

GIVING UP 10 OR MORE HITS: 4-16

ATTENDANCE REPORT

(through Wednesday)

HOME DATES: 18

HOME TOTAL: 256,891

HOME AVERAGE: 14,272

2001 AVERAGE: 16,029

LARGEST: 38,142 vs. Tigers, April 2

SMALLEST: 10,602 vs. Twins, April 24

TEAM LEADERS

TYING/GO-AHEAD RBIs: Grieve 7; Cox 6; Gomez, Johnson, Tyner 5; Abernathy, Winn 4

INFIELD HITS: Tyner 8; Winn 7; Vaughn 3; Flaherty, Hall 2

BUNT HITS: Tyner 4; Winn 2; Hall 1

SCOUTING REPORT

After losing six of their first seven this season, the Orioles have won 16 of 27 and are third in the American League East. And it's not as if Baltimore has had it easier than anybody else. Nineteen of its games have been against the Red Sox, Yankees and White Sox. The Orioles bullpen has been its strength (6-2, eight saves, 3.66 ERA) with veterans Buddy Groom and Willis Roberts, setup man Rick Bauer and the emergence of 23-year-old Jorge Julio as the team's closer. The defense held the best fielding percentage in the American League (.986) and second-best in the majors through Wednesday. Tony Batista's nine home runs ranked third and his 27 RBIs seventh in the AL entering Thursday. Melvin Mora also ranked among league leaders with seven stolen bases.

TAMPA BAY CONNECTIONS

Pitcher Jason Johnson, on the 15-day disabled list with a broken finger, was the Rays' seventh pick in the expansion draft but was traded for outfielder Danny Clyburn in March 1999. Rays reliever Esteban Yan made his major-league debut in 1996 with Baltimore. Rays first-base coach Lee May played six seasons for the Orioles, including the 1979 World Series.

SEASON SERIES: The Orioles lead the series 31-30 and are 3-2 against the Rays this season and 16-15 overall at Tropicana Field.

WHO'S HOT: Julio is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his past four innings. He has two saves, five strikeouts and no walks during the span and a 1.02 ERA this season.

WHO'S NOT: Batista is 3-for-19 with one homer, one RBI and five strikeouts over the past six games.