Baltimore’s four-run third inning against Trevor Richards was more than enough for the Orioles to send the Tampa Bay Rays to their fifth straight Grapefruit League loss with a 4-3 decision Tuesday at Ed Smith Stadium.
Baltimore’s runs came on a pair of two-run homers, as Trey Mancini and Maikel Franco each went deep against Richards, who pitched into the fifth inning, allowing seven hits and striking out three.
Tampa Bay initially jumped out to a 1-0 lead, as Francisco Mejia led off the game with a base hit, moving to second on a two-out single by Mike Brosseau and scoring on a base hit by Joey Wendle.
The Rays cut the deficit back to a single run in the fourth, as Ryan Boldt drove in Wendle with a double, and scored later in the inning on a fielder’s choice groundout by Moises Gomez.
Chaz Roe finished the fifth inning keeping Baltimore off the board. Collin McHugh struck out three and allowed one hit in two innings of work, while Ryan Sherriff pitched a scoreless eighth.
Tampa Bay returns to Port Charlotte Wednesday to welcome in the Minnesota Twins to Charlotte Sports Park. Chris Archer (0-0, 0.00 ERA) is scheduled to make the start, taking on Michael Pineda (0-0, 3.38 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 1:05.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
