The Baltimore Orioles are riding their best stuff at the right time, and Sunday’s 10-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays was the latest proof.
Pete Alonso put it plainly after the game: “What a time to do it” when asked about the team’s recent surge. Baltimore backed up that feeling with a big night at the plate, turning a tight game into a runaway with a three-run fifth and then a knockout 7-run sixth.
The fifth inning started with walks to Leody Taveras and Coby Mayo, and Jackson Holliday delivered the first real punch with a two-out RBI single. Alonso followed by driving in two more with a double, giving the Orioles a fast-moving burst that set the tone.
Then came the inning that broke Tampa Bay’s back.
Baltimore scored all seven runs in the sixth with two outs. Colton Cowser opened the floodgates with a two-run homer, his 11th of the season.
Holliday stayed hot and added another big swing, lining a double that brought in Mayo and Yohel Pozo. After that, a pair of walks loaded the bases for Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who cleared them with a double to left.
It was the kind of inning that keeps pressure on every pitch. The Orioles kept extending the frame, kept stacking damage, and never let the Rays breathe.
Trevor Rogers handled the rest. The starter earned the win to move to 8-8, working 6.0 innings on 98 pitches, with 73 K’s.
He gave up two runs on seven hits, walked one, and struck out six. The only blemish was a solo homer to Ryan Vilade in the fourth.
By the end, Baltimore had the offense rolling and the pitching steady enough to make the result look comfortable.
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