The Orioles finally found a way to stop the skid, and Tampa Bay was once again on the wrong end of it.
Baltimore ended a four-game losing streak Friday night with a 5-3 win over the Rays at Camden Yards, leaning on the same opponent that has kept bringing out the best in them this month. The Orioles are now 4-1 against Tampa in September, while going 4-10 against everyone else they’ve played.
It was a sharp turnaround after a sweep by the Yankees left Baltimore with just five runs in that series. This time, the Orioles jumped right in front by manufacturing a run on the first two pitches they saw, then kept piling on with the long ball.
Jackson Holliday set the tone immediately, doubling on the first pitch he faced out of the leadoff spot. Pete Alonso, who has been carrying the offense since the All-Star break, brought him home right away. Alonso finished with his 30th homer and drove in three runs.
"I'm just really happy to come through for this group of guys," Alonso said on the Apple TV post-game show.
Rookie Dylan Beavers kept the pressure on with a second-inning homer, his third straight game going deep as he shakes off a rough stretch. Craig Albernaz pointed to the quick surge on the broadcast.
“Three home runs in three days, we’ll take that,” manager Craig Albernaz said during the Apple TV broadcast of the game.
Baltimore tied it at 3 when Holliday delivered a sacrifice fly after an error by former Oriole Jorge Mateo helped push Coby Mayo to third. Then Alonso unloaded again, hammering a ball to left field that looked like it might have been his 31st homer after bouncing in the promenade. He now has a hit in 13 straight games, along with 16 RBIs in 19 games this month, and he is batting nearly .400 with a slugging percentage over 1200.
“It’s a testament to the hitter Pete is,” Albernaz said of his prodigious production during the broadcast.
Trevor Rogers needed to battle through the early damage, but he gave Baltimore exactly what it needed. The Opening Day starter gave up all three Rays runs in a second inning that got expensive fast, needing 28 pitches to get through it after allowing a double, a single and Kenny Piper’s first career home run. Tampa added three more hits in the third, but couldn’t score, and Rogers settled in from there.
From the fourth through the seventh, the Rays only put one runner on base, a walk to Liam Hicks. Rogers finished seven innings with three runs allowed, giving the bullpen a much-needed runway. Andrew Kittredge handled the eighth, and Rico Garcia closed it out in the ninth, despite entering the game just 5-for-10 in save chances.
In Other News...
Pete Alonso Just Gave Orioles Fans Another Reason To Embrace Him
Pete Alonso is giving Orioles fans a little extra to smile about during MLB Players Weekend, and it starts with the bat in his hands. Hes using a custom Maryland Eastern Shore-themed design that leans into local pride, with nods to Maryland blue crabs and lighthouses, a fitting touch for a player who has found a way to connect with Baltimore beyond the box score.
The timing helps, too. Alonso recently reached his 30th home run of the season and stretched his hitting streak to 13 games, keeping his bat hot while the Orioles get another reminder of why he has been easy to pull for. For a fan base that appreciates both production and a little personality, this is the kind of detail that tends to land. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Put Samuel Basallo In A Huge Spot And He Delivered
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He did exactly that, launching his first career pinch-hit homer to tie the game with a two-run swing and give the Orioles the jolt they needed before a 3-2 walk-off win. It was another sharp reminder of how well Baltimore has handled the Rays this season, with the Orioles taking eight of the nine meetings, and another sign that Basallo can matter in a hurry when the game is on the line. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Pulled Off Another Late Escape Fans Know All Too Well
Baltimore keeps finding ways to make late innings feel like a referendum on its pulse, and Friday night was another reminder of how thin the margins have been. The Orioles edged Tampa Bay 3-2 behind a night that featured strong defense from Tyler ONeill, useful work on the mound from Brandon Young and Josh Walker, and a couple of bench pieces who changed the tone when the game started to slip away.
Samuel Basallo came through as a pinch hitter to square things in the eighth, giving the Orioles a much-needed jolt before the game drifted into extra innings. Then Dylan Beavers delivered the finish the home crowd was waiting for in the 10th, sending Baltimore to 63-67 overall and keeping the clubs success against the Rays rolling at 8-4, a small but familiar bright spot in a season still searching for steadier ground. [Read more 🡒]