Baltimore’s offense turned one tight game into a rout in a hurry Sunday night, and the Orioles walked away with a 10-2 win over the Rays that snapped Tampa Bay’s momentum and tightened the race at the top of the division.
The Rays had a brief jolt from Ryan Vilade, who connected for a solo homer in the fourth and finished a triple short of the cycle. After that, though, Tampa Bay never really got rolling.
Freddy Peralta, making his first home start since arriving from the Mets, was sharp early and gave up just one hit through 4 2/3 innings, but he still took the loss. He hasn’t won since June 14.
Baltimore started to chip away in the fifth. Jackson Holliday drove in a run with a sharp RBI single, and Pete Alonso followed with a two-run double to put the Orioles in front 3-1.
Then came the inning that blew the whole thing open.
With two outs in the sixth, Baltimore strung together eight straight hits and plated seven runs. Colton Cowser set the tone with a two-run homer.
Holliday kept the pressure on with a two-run double. Christian Encarnacion-Strand finished the surge with a bases-clearing double, turning a close game into a 10-1 blowout.
Encarnacion-Strand had begun the inning with a lineout before coming back around as the final hammer.
Holliday ended the night with three RBIs, and Trevor Rogers was strong enough to make the offense matter. He worked six innings, allowed seven hits, struck out six, and improved to 8-8.
For Tampa Bay, the loss marked a third straight defeat after a nine-game winning streak, and it also cut the Rays’ lead over the Yankees to 5.5 games. The offense managed only two runs and couldn’t make good on early chances against Rogers.
Baltimore, meanwhile, has won three in a row and continues its push for the final AL wild-card spot.
The four-game series wraps up Monday. Baltimore will send Brandon Young (9-3, 3.33 ERA) to the mound, while the Rays will activate Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.09 ERA) off the injured list for a start that suddenly carries extra weight as Tampa Bay tries to stop the slide and defend its shrinking lead.
In Other News...
As Bullpen Gamble Just Put More Focus On One Frustrating Problem
The Rays bullpen churn picked up again this week when right-hander Chris Roycroft was claimed off waivers by the Athletics, another reminder of how little margin Tampa Bay has when it tries to cycle through relief depth. Roycroft brings major league experience and still has options, so he fit the kind of flexible, low-cost arm the Rays tend to keep in circulation as they try to patch together innings and preserve roster flexibility.
His departure also shines a little more light on a familiar frustration for Tampa Bay: there is always another pitching move, another roster shuffle, another arm being tested before the group ever gets a chance to settle. The Rays have built a reputation around doing more with less, but moves like this underline how often the organization is forced back into the market for help, and how much uncertainty still hangs over a bullpen that never seems to stay complete for long. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Future Roster Picture Just Got More Interesting
The Rays kept their minor league pipeline moving this week by pushing first baseman Xavier Isaac and catcher Caden Bodine from Double-A Montgomery to Triple-A Durham, another reminder that the organization is still testing its next wave of bats. Isaac, a first-round pick, has drawn attention for the kind of power and strike-zone feel Tampa Bay likes to bet on, while Bodines rise has been just as notable after arriving from the Baltimore Orioles and climbing through multiple levels this season.
For the Rays, the timing matters as much as the names. Durham is often the last stop before a player starts forcing his way into the big league conversation, and both Isaac and Bodine now get that chance in a more demanding setting. Isaacs ability to control the zone has already stood out, as he led Double-A Montgomery in walks, and Bodines quick ascent gives the front office another look at how his game translates when the competition gets sharper. [Read more 🡒]
A's Add Another Arm As A Costly Roster Consequence Emerges
The Rays roster shuffle this week ended up sending Chris Roycroft elsewhere almost immediately. Tampa Bay designated the right-hander for assignment to clear a spot for Manuel Rodriguezs return from the 60-day injured list, and Roycroft was exposed to waivers after spending time this season with both the Cardinals and Rays.
Oakland moved quickly, claiming Roycroft two days later and making the corresponding 40-man opening by placing shortstop Jacob Wilson on the 60-day injured list. Roycroft is expected to join the Athletics, leaving the Rays with a familiar reminder that one activation can have a ripple effect far beyond the player coming back. [Read more 🡒]