Mancini, Rickard Lead Orioles Past Rays 11-2
BALTIMORE (AP) — Trey Mancini and Joey Rickard combined for seven hits, including back-to-back home runs in the second inning, and the Baltimore Orioles breezed past the Tampa Bay Rays 11-2 on Saturday night.
Mancini had a career-best four hits and his homer especially delighted the fans, who were given a bobblehead in his likeness prior to the game. Rickard got three hits and matched a career high with five RBIs.
Caleb Joseph also had three hits. Mancini, Rickard and Joseph, the bottom third of the Orioles' order, went 10 for 12 with nine RBIs.
Coming off a 15-5 romp Friday, the Orioles scored in double-digits in consecutive games for the first time since July 18-19, 2017.
Kevin Gausman (5-8) allowed two runs and nine hits over seven innings.
Kevin Kiermaier had a pair of hits, including a home run, for the Rays.
Left-hander Jalen Beeks, acquired Wednesday from the Red Sox for Nathan Eovaldi, made his debut for Tampa Bay out of the bullpen and allowed eight runs and 10 hits over 3 1/3 innings.
The Rays took a 1-0 lead on an RBI double by Jesus Sucre in the second. The Orioles answered in the bottom half when Mancini hit a two-run shot and Rickard followed with a homer off Ryne Stanek (1-3).
Kiermaier opened the third with a solo home run off Gausman. Once again, Baltimore responded with a three-run double by Rickard and an RBI single by Joseph that made it 7-2.
Rickard doubled home a run in the sixth and scored on Joseph's single.
Q&A
Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter met with about 200 season ticket holders prior to the game to answer questions about the franchise's decision to trade veterans Manny Machado and Zach Britton. "It's going to take a while, but we'll get back to a team that we can all be proud of," Duquette told the fans.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: LHP Blake Snell (shoulder fatigue) played catch Saturday and will likely have a bullpen session Sunday. ... Manager Kevin Cash said it will "probably be a couple more days before we start talking about a rehab" assignment for C Wilson Ramos (left hamstring strain).
UP NEXT
Rays: Cash will use an "opener" strategy — a relief pitcher asked to throw an inning or two — for the 25th time this season and third time in this series.
Orioles: Dylan Bundy is working on short rest after he threw just 30 pitches in a rain-shortened start against the Red Sox on Wednesday. Bundy is 2-3 with a 6.00 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) against the Rays.
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