On the 59th game of the season, the Rays will face off against the Baltimore Orioles for the second time this season. After yesterday’s tough and frustrating loss, Taj Bradley and the Rays will try to force the rubber match.
In the bottom of the first inning, Ryan Mountcastle turned around a 96 mph fastball that was on the inside part of the plate. Siri was close to rubbing another homer, but his efforts weren’t enough. This was Mountcastle’s first homer since May 8th. A couple of pitches later, Anthony Santander deposited a cutter into Eutaw Street. Back-to-back jacks for Orioles and they lead 3-0 after only one inning.
An inning later the Rays quickly put men in the corners with back-to-back singles from Palacios and Rortvedt. Three pitches later Caballero singled on a grounder to left field, 3-1 Orioles. Now Diaz gets into the second inning party and smashes a ball to the right field wall. Yandy gets his first triple of the season, Rays tie it 3-3. Finally, Diaz lets the ball travel into the zone and takes the slider to right field. With Diaz at third, Brandon Lowe and Issac Paredes struck out swinging taking away the opportunity of scoring the go-ahead run. By this point, the Rays already have more hits than in yesterday’s whole game.
After a magnificent top of the second for the Rays; the fun evaporated quickly. As Jordan Westburg hits a 97 MPH fastball that was an inch above the zone directly to center field, the Orioles lead 4-3. This was Westburg’s first at-bat since coming off the injury list.
A bizarre wild pitch strikeout kicked off the offense in the fourth inning; putting Jonathan Aranda in first base. A couple of batters later, Siri ripped a fastball to the opposite way, Aranda raced around third and touched home before Adley Rutschman could tag him. We had ourselves a tie-ball game.
A back-and-forth argument with the crew chief umpire Chad Fairchild got Kevin Cash ejected after a questionable call (the ball was like 2 inches high off the plate). This was the 17th career ejection for the Rays’ skipper.
Two batters later, the Rays filled up the bases with back-to-back walks from Rortvedt and Caballero. The Rays took the lead with another walk occasioned by Yandy Diaz. After his third consecutive walk that was it for Kyle Bradish who finished his shortest outing of the season. The Rays left the bases loaded after Brandon Lowe hit a fly out to left field.
In the very next inning, the Orioles tied the game with a single off the glove of Caballero. Then, the next batter, Kyle Stowers clubbers a ball to right field and the O’s take the lead 6-5. The Orioles finish the inning leading 7-5.
Taj Bradley had his worst outing of the year gets out of the game in the 4th inning, Orioles lead 9-5. Nothing worked for Bradley this afternoon, his command was off, and the stuff was not at its best.
After 4 innings of 14 combined runs, both offenses were silenced the rest of the way. The bullpens combined 11 innings no runs only 4 hits. The Orioles won 9-5 in a game that the bast were only alive for the first hour.
The Rays will try to avoid the sweep and face the O’s again tomorrow at 1:35 ET for the series finale in Camden Yards.
