St. Petersburg, Fla. – On Monday night the Tampa Bay Rays turned a one‑run deficit into a 7‑6 win over the Baltimore Orioles, avoiding a four‑game sweep at Tropicana Field. The rally was sparked in the seventh inning when pinch‑hitter Jonny DeLuca smashed a two‑run single to put Tampa Bay ahead.
Key moments of the game
The Rays jumped ahead early. Yandy Díaz, Ryan Vilade and Jorge Mateo each hit home runs, with Mateo’s two‑run blast in the fourth inning giving Tampa Bay a 4‑3 lead – his first homer for the club. Baltimore answered in the fifth when Pete Alonso tied the game at four runs all, and a two‑run shot by Christian Encarnación‑Strand in the sixth pushed the Orioles to a 6‑4 advantage.
In the bottom of the second, a fastball down the middle from Rays starter Shane McClanahan was driven 468 feet to left field by Orioles slugger Coby Mayo, narrowing the gap. McClanahan was removed after one inning, and left‑hander Cam Booser took over, striking out the side in the seventh and earning his first win in a Rays uniform.
The decisive seventh inning began with an RBI single by Jonathan Aranda, cutting the Orioles’ lead to 6‑5. After Junior Caminero’s infield single loaded the bases, Josh Walker entered the game and allowed DeLuca’s decisive single to center field, giving Tampa Bay a 7‑6 lead that held for the final five outs.
Pitching performances
All‑Star closer Bryan Baker secured his league‑leading 35th save, recording the final five outs. Booser, who entered in the fourth, struck out the side in the seventh and posted a 1‑0 record. For Baltimore, the starting rotation will see RHP Shane Baz (4‑12, 4.00 ERA) take the mound on Tuesday against the New York Yankees at Camden Yards.
Looking ahead, the Rays will start RHP Nick Martinez (12‑3, 2.74 ERA) on Tuesday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, while RHP José Soriano (9‑6, 3.17 ERA) is slated to pitch the following day.
Implications for the division race
The loss keeps the Orioles within striking distance of the American League’s third wild‑card spot, as they have now taken three of the first four games against their division rival at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, remains firmly in the AL East race, hoping to build momentum from the comeback win.
Fans in St. Petersburg witnessed a classic late‑inning rally, underscoring the excitement of baseball’s unpredictable nature and the importance of every at‑bat in a tightly contested division.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
