(Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Rays may have an opportunity to capture the first American League East title in the franchise's mostly dubious history in tonight's finale of a four-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

The Rays reduced their magic number to win the East to two with Tuesday's doubleheader sweep of the hapless Orioles, Tampa's seventh victory in its last nine games. With another win tonight, coupled by a loss by Boston to Cleveland on Wednesday, Joe Maddon's surprising club will clinch the division crown.

Tampa Bay owns the tiebreaker over Boston by virtue of winning this year's season series with the Red Sox. The Rays have already secured the first postseason berth in their 11-year existence, and the team's 95 wins so far has easily surpassed its highest victory total in a single campaign.

The Rays downed the Orioles by a 5-2 count in last night's opener of the twinbill, then recorded a 7-5 decision in game two.

Tampa Bay had to rally to take the nightcap, as the visitors erupted for six runs in the top of the eighth inning to erase a 5-1 deficit. Dioner Navarro came through with the biggest hit of the frame, a two-run, two-out single off Jamie Walker that gave the Rays a 6-5 edge.

Ben Zobrist, who opened the inning with a triple, followed with a double that plated Navarro with an insurance run. Evan Longoria added a solo home run during Tampa's eighth-inning uprising.

Jeff Niemann (2-1) was credited with the win despite giving up two runs over 2 1/3 innings, while J.P. Howell registered his third save with 1 2/3 perfect frames.

Baltimore's Alfredo Simon limited the Rays to just one run over the first seven innings in his first major league start, but the rookie was touched for a pair of runs while getting just two outs in the fateful eighth. Walker (1-3) failed to retire a batter during his time on the mound and was charged with four runs allowed and the loss.

Fernando Perez had three hits and two RBI to lead Tampa offensively in game one, while James Shields (14-8) held the Orioles to two runs and struck out eight over seven innings to record the win.

Shields now has 14 victories on the season, which ties a Rays' club record set by Rolando Arrojo in 1998.

Tampa Bay will shoot for a series sweep tonight behind Edwin Jackson, who rebounded from a string of poor outings with a sharp performance against Minnesota on Friday. The young righty yielded just one run and seven hits over 7 2/3 innings to beat the Twins and halt a three-start losing streak.

Over his three-game skid, Jackson had surrendered 15 runs and 24 hits over just 12 1/3 innings of work.

The 25-year-old is 1-1 with a 7.50 ERA over four career appearances against Baltimore, two of which have been starts. That lone victory came at Tropicana Field back on May 24, with Jackson allowing three runs on four hits through five innings.

The Orioles, who have lost eight straight games and are a woeful 5-25 since August 22, hand the ball tonight to Radhames Liz. The rookie enters tonight's test off back-to-back encouraging starts, including a September 14 home win over Minnesota in which he fired eight shutout innings.

Liz followed up by permitting three runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 frames against the Yankees last Friday in the Bronx, but he came out on the short end of a 3-2 decision.

The 25-year-old, who is 4-3 with a 5.04 ERA in nine home starts this season, faced the Rays last September and struggled mightily. In that game, Liz was tagged for four runs and six hits while lasting just 1 2/3 innings to take the loss in a 17-2 Baltimore setback.

Tampa Bay has dominated this year's season series between these AL East foes. The Rays have won 14 of their 17 meetings with the Orioles in 2008 and posted a 6-2 mark so far at Camden Yards.