Home Of The Rays

Home Of The Rays

Get Tampa Bay Rays News and Scores

 

Bullpens Woes Continue As Rays Drop Series To O's

ST. PETERSBURG (620 WDAE) -- The Baltimore Orioles plated three ninth-inning runs off Alex Colome, breaking a 5-5 tie to complete an 8-5 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Rays and take two of the three games this weekend a Tropicana Field.

Colome came into the inning trying to get the game to the bottom of the ninth tied, but started with a base hit by Caleb Joseph, his third hit of the afternoon.  Craig Gentry advanced him to second on a sacrifice bunt, and pinch-hitter Seth Smith was intentionally walked.  Former Rays farmhand joey Rickard then made Colome pay with a ground-rule double to break the tie.  Another intentional walk -- this time to Manny Machado -- loaded the bases, but Colome then hit Jonathan Schoop to force in a run, and Adam Jones made Baltimore's lead three runs with a sacrifice fly that scored Rickard.

The Orioles originally broke out to a two-run lead in the second against starter Jake Odorizzi, as Joseph started that two-out rally with a base hit, with Gentry doubling him to third and Paul Janish singling in both runners.

Taylor Featherston cut the lead back to a single run in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single off Orioles starter Chris Tillman to bring in Steven Souza Jr.

Joseph's big day continued in the fourth, as his solo home run -- again with two out -- off Odorizzi, stretching the Baltimore lead back to two runs.

Featherston kept the one-man show going in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice fly that plated Daniel Robertson, who had singled and gone to third on an errant pickoff throw by Tillman.

Longoria, who came into the game with eight career home runs off Tillman, added his ninth in the fifth inning, hitting his 12th homer of the year after Mallex Smith and Corey Dickerson had each singled in front of him, giving Tampa Bay a 5-3 lead.

Odorizzi left with one out in the sixth after giving up a solo homer to Mancini that cut the lead back to 5-4.  

Tommy Hunter finished off the sixth and worked a scoreless seventh, but Chase Whitley's 2-2 changeup to Schoop leading off the top of the eighth made sure Odorizzi wouldn't factor in the decision.

Brad Brach, who worked two scoreless innings to finish the game, earned his second win of the year.

The loss drops Tampa Bay back to two games over .500 at 40-38.

The Rays now travel on a three-city, eight-game road trip that will see them head to PNC for an interleague matchup with the Pirates starting on Tuesday.  Alex Cobb (6-5, 4.05 ERA) will get the start in the opener, taking on Trevor Williams (3-3, 5.09 ERA).  First pitch is scheduled for 7:05, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 6:00 with The Inside Pitch presented by Sykes Lakeland.

Photo: Getty Images


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content