Wendle Slam, 6 RBIs; Rays Finish 18-1 Against Orioles This Year
BALTIMORE (AP) — Joey Wendle hit a pair of homers, including a grand slam, and drove in six runs to lead the Tampa Bay Rays over the Baltimore Orioles 12-8 Sunday for a three-game sweep.
Austin Meadows and Jordan Luplow also homered for Tampa Bay, which finished 18-1 against Baltimore this year. The AL East-leading Rays have beaten Baltimore 12 straight times, tying a franchise record they set against the Orioles in 2008.
Ryan Mountcastle tied a career high with four hits, including his 24th home run for the Orioles. Jorge Mateo and Cedric Mullins also homered.
With the Rays leading 6-4 in the seventh inning, Wendle broke open the game when he hit a 1-1 pitch from Paul Fry over the right-field fence for his third career grand slam. Wendle had gone 50 games without a homer before hitting two in consecutive at-bats.
Tampa Bay scored 10 or more runs against Baltimore six times.
Chris Archer made just his second start since April 10 for the Rays after being sidelined with a forearm injury. Archer had to leave his previous outing in the second inning on Aug. 22 against the Yankees because of a hip issue. He managed to throw four innings, allowing two runs with four hits and six strikeouts.
JT Chargois (5-0) picked up his second consecutive win in relief.
The Rays took an early 2-0 lead against Orioles rookie starter Spenser Watkins (2-7) on a pair of RBI singles by Randy Arozarena and Wendle.
Baltimore cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom half of the inning on a run-scoring single by Austin Hays.
Luplow answered in the second with a towering, solo home run off the left-field foul pole.
Mountcastle pulled the Orioles to within 3-2 with a solo homer to left, prompting Archer to throw his glove down in frustration.
Meadows extended the lead to 5-2 with a two-run shot in the sixth. Wendle followed with another homer over the right-field scoreboard that ended Watkins' afternoon.
Watkins has allowed 36 runs and 49 hits over his last seven starts (30 2/3 innings).
IMPRESSIVE STREAK
Rays shortstop Wander Franco went 2 for 4 and has reached base in 29 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors and the longest by a rookie in club history.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: DH Nelson Cruz and INF Yandy Diaz got the day off but were available off the bench.
Orioles: RHP Hunter Harvey (lat strain) has made three rehab appearances with Triple-A Norfolk but isn't ready to be activated. "He had a little bit of soreness after his last outing," manager Brandon Hyde said today.
UP NEXT
Rays: RHP Luis Patino (3-3, 4.53 ERA) will start the series opener Monday night at home against the Red Sox after getting pushed back a day. Patino has thrown 81 innings between the Rays and Triple-A Durham this season, compared to just 17 1/3 last season.
Orioles: RHP Chris Ellis (1-0, 3.86 ERA) will make his second start for the Orioles against Toronto on Monday night. He was claimed off waivers from the Rays on Aug. 20.
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