Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Ray might be the start of another Orioles winning streak. It took extra innings and Adley Rutschman’s bat to do it and in the end the Birds were on the good end of a 6-4 game.
Rutschman (1 for 1, 1 run scored, 2 RBI) entered the game as a pinch hitter for Tyler Nevin in the 8th inning and promptly blasted his fifth homerun of the season, tying the game at 3. Still tied at 3, Rutschman hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Austin Hays (0 for 4, 1 run scored) to score and give the Orioles a 4-3 lead. The Rays then tied the game at 4 in their half of the 10th inning.
In the 11th, Rougned Odor (0 for 2) was the ghost runner at second and he was picked off in an ill-fated attempt to steal third base. Jorge Mateo (2 for 4, 1 run scored) tripled and Cedric Mullins (0 for 4, 1 run scored, 1 walk) walked. Trey Mancini (0 for 5) popped out and Mullins then steals second base. Ryan Mountcastle (1 for 5, 2 RBI) singled in Mateo and Mullins to put the Birds up 6-4.
Cionel Perez (0.2 IP, 1 BB, 1 K) and Joey Krehbiel (0.1 IP) made the lead hold up and in the process gave Jorge Lopez (4-5) the win. Lopez allowed 1 run on 1 hit, struck out 3 and hit a batter over 2.0 innings of relief.
Dean Kremer started and gave up 3 runs on 8 hits (1 homerun), struck out 2 and threw two wild pitches in 4.0 innings of work; not his best outing.
2022 Record: 46-45
