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(Sports Network) - Young lefty Brian Burres will make his 10th career appearance -- and second of 2008 -- against Tampa Bay today when the Baltimore Orioles visit Tropicana Field for the finale of a three-game series with the Rays.

A former draft pick of the San Francisco Giants, Burres, 26, is 0-1 against Tampa Bay in nine career appearances, including one start. He's been tagged for 22 hits and 16 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and walking eight.

He faced the Rays in relief on March 31, allowing one hit in a scoreless inning.

The Oregon native fared well in his initial start of the season on April 8, allowing seven hits and a run in six innings of an 8-1 triumph over the Texas Rangers.

The Rays will start Jeff Niemann in an emergency role.

The 6-foot-9, 280-pound right-hander was summoned from the minors to replace Matt Garza, who was sent to the disabled list on April 9 with nerve inflammation in his pitching arm.

Niemann, who turned 25 in February, is making his major-league debut.

On Saturday, Ramon Hernandez's solo home run in the ninth was the difference- maker, as the Orioles edged the Rays, 3-2.

Hernandez added an RBI triple for the Orioles, who snapped a three-game skid. Brian Roberts finished 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.

Daniel Cabrera pitched 6 2/3 solid innings, allowing one run on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Jamie Walker yielded the tying run in the eighth before he was lifted in favor of Chad Bradford (1-1), who finished the frame. George Sherrill tossed a perfect ninth to pick up his fifth save.

Carlos Pena crushed his sixth home run of the season, while B.J. Upton went 2- for-3 with a run scored for the Rays. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay's top prospect, finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk in his major league debut.

Jason Hammel surrendered two runs on five hits and struck out six over seven innings of work, but came away with a no decision. Dan Wheeler (0-1) gave up the winning run in the ninth to absorb the loss.

Tampa Bay and Baltimore split two games of a weather-shortened series earlier this season, but the Orioles are 38-21 against the Rays since the start of the 2005 season.