In a thrilling opener of a four-game series between the American League East’s top two teams, the Tampa Bay Rays secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory against the Baltimore Orioles, thanks to Luke Raley’s tiebreaking solo home run in the seventh inning.
Raley, who now boasts 19 homers for the season, ended a homer drought that had persisted since August 24. Prior to his clutch two-out blast off Orioles starter Kyle Bradish (11-7), Raley had only notched two RBIs in 12 games this month.
Randy Arozarena played a crucial role for the Rays (91-57) with a two-run triple, contributing to their sixth win in the last seven games. This victory brought the Rays within one game of the division-leading Orioles (91-55).
The contest, eagerly anticipated as a division showdown, lived up to the hype, with both teams delivering standout performances.
The Rays showcased their pitching prowess, utilizing five pitchers who combined for an impressive 15 strikeouts and just one walk. The bullpen, in particular, was stellar, retiring all 12 batters it faced. Colin Poche (12-3) earned the win in relief with one shutout inning, while Pete Fairbanks closed the game with authority, striking out the side in the ninth to secure his 24th save.
Aaron Civale anchored the Rays as the starting pitcher, going five innings and allowing three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight.
On the opposing side, Kyle Bradish, who had recently completed a six-game stretch without allowing more than two runs in any outing, faced a formidable Rays lineup. He yielded four runs on seven hits in seven innings.
Luke Raley, with a 2-for-3 performance, emerged as the game’s sole player with multiple hits.
Baltimore’s Ryan O’Hearn ignited the action with a leadoff home run in the second inning, his 13th of the season.
The Rays responded in the third inning, with Arozarena’s crucial two-run triple following Brandon Lowe’s run-scoring single.
Gunnar Henderson contributed to the Orioles’ offensive efforts with his 26th homer, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
In the fifth inning, the Orioles loaded the bases with no outs, but they could only muster a tying run on Adam Frazier’s fielder’s-choice grounder.
Early in the game, the Orioles showcased their defensive prowess, exemplified by center fielder Cedric Mullins’ diving catch in deep right-center field, robbing Taylor Walls with two outs in the second inning.
