The Tampa Bay Rays bullpen allowed just two hits and struck out six in covering the final 4 1/3 innings Saturday, holding on to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 at Tropicana Field.
The Rays jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead thanks to an RBI double by Joey Wendle and infield RBI singles by Manuel Margot and Kevin Kiermaier, all with two out against Orioles starter Jorge Lopez.
Tampa Bay added two more runs against Lopez in the home half of the fourth, as Kiermaier singled with one out, and after a Mike Zunino fielder’s choice, Lopez hit Brett Phillips with a pitch, which led to the Rays right fielder joking with his former teammate about wanting to fight.
Brandon Lowe then continued his hot hitting over the last couple of days by doubling to left, bringing in both runners for a 5-0 lead.
Rays starter Rich Hill cruised through the first four innings, but allowed walks to Ryan Mountcastle and Pat Valaika around a base hit to Freddy Galvis to load the bases, and backup catcher Austin Wynns ut the lead back to a single run with a grand slam. Hill then gave up an infield single to Cedric Mullins before being pulled by manager Kevin Cash.
Ryan Thompson got Tampa Bay out of the fifth with the lead, and Collin McHugh (1-1) worked two scoreless innings and struck out five. Pete Fairbanks worked a scoreless eighth, and Diego Castillo gave up a two-out single to Galvis, but struck out Maikel Franco to end the game and earn his 11th save of the season.
The win, coupled with Boston’s loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, extends the Rays lead in the American League East to two games.
Tampa Bay can earn the series sweep with a win in Sunday afternoon’s finale. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10.
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.
