Rays Snap Skid, Outlast Orioles 7-6 After Blowing 4-Run Lead
BALTIMORE (AP) — Harold Ramirez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays snapped their four-game losing streak with a 7-6 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Francisco Mejía had a career-high four hits for the Rays and Yandy Díaz had three.
Díaz also drew a one-out walk off Dillon Tate (0-3) in the ninth. Ji-Man Choi followed with a single and Tate hit Randy Arozarena with a two-strike pitch to load the bases.
Ramirez's fly to right put the Rays ahead. Colin Poche pitched the bottom of the ninth for his fourth save.
Calvin Faucher (1-1) pitched a perfect eighth to earn his first career win, the day after taking the loss in Baltimore's 1-0 victory.
Robinson Chirinos had three hits and four RBIs for the Orioles.
Choi hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to give the Rays a 6-2 lead, but the Orioles rallied. An RBI single by Ryan Mountcastle in the fifth chased Tampa Bay starter Jeffrey Springs, and Chirinos hit a bases-loaded dribbler that snuck through into right field for a two-run single off reliever Matt Wisler.
Baltimore tied it in the sixth with the help of a two-out error by shortstop Taylor Walls on Trey Mancini's slow grounder. Mountcastle followed with a walk and Anthony Santander drove in a run with a single.
The Rays have allowed 44 unearned runs in 65 games — after allowing just 58 all season in 2021.
Baltimore rookie Kyle Bradish allowed six runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. With the Orioles up 2-0, he allowed four straight hits to start the third. Manuel Margot and Ramirez each hit a two-run double that inning.
Springs allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. Chirinos opened the scoring with a two-run double in the second.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: OF Kevin Kiermaier (calf, Achilles) returned after a two-game absence. He singled and scored in the third.
Orioles: RHP Joey Krehbiel (shoulder) returned from the injured list. He retired his only two batters in the seventh.
UP NEXT
Tampa Bay sends Corey Kluber (3-3) to the mound in the series finale against Jordan Lyles (4-5) of the Orioles.
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