Rick Helling

The numbers 18,470 Thursday's attend ance, a record low at Camden Yards. .243 Orioles team batting average through five games. 4.42 Combined ERA for Rodrigo Lopez, Omar Daal and Rick Helling. 13 Hits allowed by Orioles' bullpen in 22 innings. 3 Walks drawn by Orioles in three-game series against Cleveland.

At Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. Day Time TV Starters Today 7:15 CSN Pat Hentgen (4-6, 4.68) vs. Joe Kennedy (3-9, 6.47) Tomorrow 7:15 CSN Rodrigo Lopez (5-6, 5.69) vs. Rob Bell (2-2, 6.27) Wednesday 2:15 No TV Rick Helling (7-8, 5.59) vs. Jeremi Gonzalez (5-5, 3.46) Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) Devil Rays update With the youngest team in baseball, Tampa Bay probably won't make it out of the American League East basement this year, but the Devil Rays have gone 18-16 since July 3, and they just finished a stretch of 20 games against teams above .500.

Opponent: Tampa Bay Devil Rays Site: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. Time: 7:15 Radio: WBAL (1090 AM) Starters: Orioles' Rick Helling (0-1, 4.50) vs. Devil Rays' Nick Bierbrodt (0-1, 15.75)

Opponent: Toronto Blue Jays Site: Camden Yards Time: 5:05 p.m. TV/Radio: Comcast SportsNet/WBAL (1090 AM) Starters: Blue Jays' Kelvim Escobar (5-5, 4.27) vs. Orioles' Rick Helling (5-6, 5.76)

HittingBrian Hunter, Tigers: 4-for-5.Fred McGriff, Devil Rays: 2 HRs, 5 RBIs.Robin Ventura, White Sox: 4-for-5.David Justice, Indians: 3 RBIs, HR.Kevin Mitchell, Athletics: 3 RBIs.PitchingChuck Finley, Angels: 8 innings, 1 run, 4 hits, 9 strikeouts.Rick Helling, Rangers: 8 2/3 innings, 10 strikeouts.Pub Date: 4/28/98

HittingJose Canseco, Blue Jays: 2 HRs.Shane Spencer, Yankees: 2 HRs, 5-for-7 in doubleheader.Ken Griffey, Mariners: 2 HRs.Tino Martinez, Yankees: 4 RBIs, HR, double.Luis Gonzalez, Tigers: 4 RBIs, HR.Juan Encarnacion, Tigers: 4-for-6, double, triple.PitchingRick Helling, Rangers: 8 innings, 1 run, 3 hits.James Baldwin, White Sox: 8 innings, 1 run, 4 hits.Pub Date: 9/23/98

Quote: "I know it sounds like a broken record, but how many times have people written us off, and how many times have we suffered a devastating injury, only to reel off a couple wins and get back in it?" -- Tim Salmon, after the Angels regained a share of the AL West lead Sunday night.It's a fact: Derek Jeter singled twice and has 198 hits for the season. He is looking to become the first Yankee to reach 200 hits since Steve Sax in 1989.On deck: The Rangers' Rick Helling (19-7) goes for his 20th victory tonight against the Angels.

Red Sox: Have scored two or fewer runs in seven of their last eight games.Tigers: Frank Catalanotto got his first start of the year at second base in place of Damion Easley, who's 0-for-10 in his career against Tim Wakefield. Detroit has already faced all five AL pitchers who won 18 or more games last year -- Rick Helling, Aaron Sele, David Cone, Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez. It went 1-4, beating only Helling in the season opener at Texas.Blue Jays: Have homered in 10 straight games. Toronto is 8-1 on its current homestand.

The numbers 6 Wins for the Orioles in their past 33 games with the To ronto Blue Jays. 5.41 Combined ERA for Rick Helling and Omar Daal. .361 Melvin Mora's American League-leading average. 35 RBIs for Jay Gib bons in his past 40 games. 27,387 Average attendance through 36 dates at Camden Yards.

In keeping with their team colors, the Orioles went from orange floppy hats to black storm clouds last night. Being thrown into the fire each time they faced the Texas Rangers' lineup didn't provide enough anxiety. They also braced for a flood. The Orioles survived all the elements. Waiting out one of the longest rain delays in club history, they reached .500 for the first time in three weeks with a 7-1 victory over the Rangers at Camden Yards that was more a testament to endurance than skill.

CHICAGO - The schedule makers were kind enough to give the Orioles a seven-week window to work on themselves this season before they have to face a team that reached last year's playoffs. That window closes Sunday. The Angels, Yankees, A's, Twins, Cardinals and Braves are waiting. If the Orioles measured their readiness during last night's 5-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, they would have had one thought. Gulp. With their fourth straight loss, the Orioles fell to 18-21.