BALTIMORE — Manager Kevin Cash has talked repeatedly about the need for his Rays to be more productive offensively, especially early in games. So when they scored three runs over the first two innings Wednesday, they seemed to be on the right track.
But then they put a late lead in the left hand of reliever Colin Poche and watched it get away for a second straight night as he gave up a tying homer with one out in the ninth inning.
But then they rallied again, scoring two in the 10th and hanging on for a 6-4 win.
An infield single by Yandy Diaz and a walk by Brandon Lowe off Orioles All-Star Jorge Lopez loaded the bases (with Taylor Walls starting the inning as the runner on second).
Randy Arozarena, who likes hitting against the Orioles and especially at Camden Yards, delivered the big hit, a double to rightfield that scored two.
Pete Fairbanks got the final three outs in order.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak (matching a season high) that had dropped the Rays to the final American League wild-card spot and improved their record to 53-45.
The Rays got two in the first inning — after yet another baserunning mistake — as Arozarena singled with two outs and Ji-Man Choi hit an opposite-field homer, his first since July 3 and eighth of the season.
That came after Diaz, who led off with a single, was doubled off first as Brandon Lowe’s drive to centerfield was caught. That was Diaz’s 11th out on the bases and the team’s 48th, both most in the majors (not counting caught stealings, pickoffs or force plays).
The Rays added a run when Luke Raley, impressing with more playing time, led off the third with a homer, his first as a Ray (and third of his short career).
Drew Rasmussen, pitching on his 27h birthday and to former Oregon State battery mate Adley Rutschman (the Orioles rookie catcher), worked into the fifth and the Orioles kept it close.
Singles by three of the first four Orioles in the second led to one run. A one-out single by Rutschman, a walk, a flyout and a wild pitch (that bounced off the dirt and then catcher Christian Bethancourt’s chest protector) produced another.
The Rays extended the lead to 4-2 in the fifth on doubles by Josh Lowe and, after Orioles starter Tyler Wells left with lower back discomfort, Diaz off reliever Dillon Tate.
The Orioles got it right back to one run, their rally starting when Rasmussen hit Rutschman — who caught all eight of his 2017 outings for Oregon State. Trey Mancini followed with a single to rightfield, and an errant throw by Raley, who missed the cutoff man, led to Rutschman coming all the way around.
Rasmussen then hit Anthony Santander with his 70th pitch, and that ended his night after 4 2/3 innings.
In what seems like some extreme coincidences, Rasmussen was the third Rays pitcher to start on his birthday this season — and all against the Orioles. Corey Kluber did so on April 10 at home vs. Baltimore, and Shane Baz on June 17 at Camden Yards.
Wednesday was the first time in the Rays’ 25-season history that they had three pitchers make birthday starts, and per research by the Rays, the first time for any team since the 2019 Padres.
By not getting through five innings, Rasmussen missed the chance to join three Rays who started and won on their birthdays: Mark Hendrickson, June 23, 2005, at the Yankees; Jae Seo, May 24, 2007, vs. Mariners; and Jeremy Hellickson, April 8, 2012, vs. Yankees.
After Rasmussen left, the Rays turned to relievers Ryan Thompson, Brooks Raley, Jason Adam, Poche and Fairbanks.
