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Sep 1, 2015 - 4:15 AM Buck Showalter's Baltimore Orioles were five games over .500 and on the cusp of the AL's final playoff spot less than two weeks ago.

Whatever managerial moves he's made since - creative, necessary or otherwise - simply haven't been able to provide a spark.

Fading Baltimore looks to avoid a sixth straight defeat when it hosts the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.

The defending AL East champions picked up their 62nd win by beating the New York Mets on Aug. 19 and sat just one-half game out of the second wild-card spot. Baltimore (63-68) has dropped 11 of 12 since that victory while scoring three runs or fewer in each defeat.

Showalter platooned Paul Janish and Ryan Flaherty at shortstop for the first seven of those contests after J.J. Hardy went on the disabled list with a groin strain, but the duo has hit a combined .250.

Showalter elected to move Gold Glove-winning third baseman Manny Machado to short for the first time in his major league career Monday while starting all three catchers - Caleb Joseph behind the plate, Matt Wieters at first and Steve Clevenger at designated hitter.

Machado had two hits and Clevenger had a two-run single, but the Orioles fell 6-3 to the Rays (65-66). Baltimore now would have to leap over five teams in the wild-card race to sneak into the playoffs.

"We did some good things getting some people out there," Showalter said. "It seems like we're always a hit away."

Tampa Bay also has plenty of work ahead to catch Texas for the second wild-card spot, but it began a nine-game trip with its second straight victory after losing five of six.

Evan Longoria, Asdrubal Cabrera and Tim Beckham homered, and Logan Forsythe added three hits for the Rays, who have won three of four meetings at Camden Yards this season.

"If we play hard and put some wins together, you never know what could happen in a month," Cabrera said.

Drew Smyly (1-2, 3.82 ERA) takes the mound after going 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in three starts since spending over three months on the disabled list with left shoulder soreness.

The left-hander has lasted fewer than five innings in two of those outings, including Thursday when he allowed each run in Tampa Bay's 5-4 win over Minnesota. Smyly, who made three starts before being injured, threw a season-high 100 pitches while walking two.

Smyly made all three of his career starts against the Orioles last season, going 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA. Chris Davis is 2 for 11 against him - both hits leaving the yard - but has gone 2 for 18 with 10 strikeouts over his last five games.

Chris Tillman (9-9, 4.58) gets the call for Baltimore looking to avoid a third straight defeat. He's allowed seven runs in 12 2-3 innings over the last two after going unbeaten in his previous 12.

"Any time you lose it's disappointing," Tillman said after Thursday's 5-3 loss at Kansas City. "Made some mistakes that they were able to hit the ball hard and drive."

Tillman is 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA in his last five home starts. He's lost twice in four outings against the Rays this season, but he allowed two runs or fewer while going into the seventh three times.

Rays centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier robbed Machado of a leadoff home run in the first Monday, but he left in the third with a mild right ankle sprain that could keep him out of this contest.