Pete Alonso Powers Orioles Past Rays, 5-3, With 30th Home Run
BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-3, Friday night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, snapping a four-game losing streak behind another huge performance from Pete Alonso and seven strong innings from Trevor Rogers.
Alonso drove in three of Baltimore’s five runs and delivered the biggest swing of the night, crushing a two-run home run in the fifth inning that turned a 3-3 game into a 5-3 Orioles lead. It was Alonso’s 30th home run of the season and traveled a Statcast-projected 443 feet to left-center field.
After a frustrating series against the New York Yankees, Baltimore badly needed a response. The Orioles got one against the team with the best record in the American League.
The victory improved Baltimore to 62-67 and gave the Orioles seven wins in their last eight meetings with Tampa Bay. The Rays fell to 76-52.
Alonso stays red hot
Alonso gave Baltimore an early lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning, extending his career-high hitting streak to 13 games.
During that stretch, Alonso is batting an incredible .480, going 24-for-50 with seven home runs, two doubles and 14 RBIs.
Tampa Bay answered in the second inning. Chandler Simpson tied the game with an RBI single before Kenny Piper launched the first home run of his major league career, a two-run shot estimated at 410 feet, putting the Rays ahead 3-1.
Baltimore did not allow the game to get away.
Dylan Beavers cut the deficit to one with a solo home run in the fourth inning, bringing the Orioles within 3-2.
Then came the decisive fifth.
Baltimore put runners on the corners with nobody out against Rays starter Freddy Peralta. Jackson Holliday eventually lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that brought home the tying run.
The at-bat was not without controversy. Holliday appeared to go around on a check swing with one strike remaining, but third-base umpire Dillon Wilson ruled that Holliday held up. Rays manager Kevin Cash argued the decision and was ejected before Holliday returned to the batter’s box and tied the game. citeturn307913view1
Alonso made Tampa Bay pay immediately.
The Orioles first baseman turned on the next opportunity and launched a 111 mph, 443-foot two-run home run into the left-center-field seats.
Baltimore suddenly led 5-3.
It was Alonso’s longest home run of the season and officially gave him 30 for the year.
Two nights after a potential 30th home run against the Yankees was controversially ruled foul and allowed to stand following replay review, there was nothing questionable about this one.
This ball was gone.
Another milestone for Alonso
Alonso became the eighth Orioles player since the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1954 to hit at least 30 home runs during his first season with the club. citeturn307913view0
He also became just the fourth free-agent addition in Orioles history to hit 30 home runs during his first season in Baltimore, joining Albert Belle, Miguel Tejada and Nelson Cruz.
Alonso has now recorded seven seasons with at least 30 home runs and has reached the mark in each of the past six full seasons.
His production has become especially important as Baltimore attempts to remain alive in the American League postseason race.
Baltimore signed Alonso to a five-year, $155 million contract during the offseason, and his first season with the Orioles has increasingly looked like one of the best free-agent additions the organization has made in years.
Rogers gives Orioles exactly what they needed
Alonso supplied the power, but Trevor Rogers gave Baltimore the pitching performance it desperately needed.
Rogers allowed three runs on six hits over seven innings, striking out six while walking only one.
After allowing all three Tampa Bay runs in the second inning, Rogers settled down and kept the Rays off the scoreboard for the remainder of his outing.
He earned the victory and improved to 9-8. It was his third quality start in four August outings.
The performance also allowed manager Craig Albernaz to avoid placing excessive stress on a bullpen that has been asked to cover plenty of innings throughout the season.
Rogers keeping the Rays off the board after the second inning was every bit as important as Baltimore’s offensive comeback.
Once the Orioles took the lead in the fifth, Rogers protected it through seven.
Bullpen finishes it
Baltimore carried the two-run advantage into the late innings and never allowed Tampa Bay to generate another scoring rally.
Rico Garcia handled the ninth inning and struck out two batters to record his sixth save of the season.
That completed one of Baltimore’s cleaner victories in recent games.
The Orioles received seven innings from their starter, timely power from the middle of the lineup and a shutdown performance from the bullpen.
Tampa Bay starter Freddy Peralta took the loss and fell to 5-11 after allowing five runs on seven hits over seven innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Orioles continue having Tampa Bay’s number
One of the strangest parts of Baltimore’s recent season has been how successful the Orioles have been against Tampa Bay.
The Rays entered Friday with an American League-best 76-51 record, while Baltimore entered below .500 and trying to stay connected to the Wild Card race.
Yet the Orioles have repeatedly given Tampa Bay problems.
Baltimore has now won seven of its last eight games against the Rays.
Just days earlier, the Orioles traveled to Tampa Bay and took three of four games at Tropicana Field. Baltimore won the first three games of that series before Tampa Bay avoided the sweep with a 7-6 win Monday.
The Orioles then endured a difficult three-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees before returning home and immediately beating the Rays again.
That made Friday’s victory especially important.
Baltimore could not afford to allow the Yankees series to turn into another extended losing streak.
Instead, the Orioles answered by beating the best team in the American League.
MSB Take
This was exactly the type of win the Orioles needed.
The four-game losing streak was beginning to erase much of the momentum Baltimore generated during its previous series against Tampa Bay. Falling further below .500 in late August would make an already difficult Wild Card chase even tougher.
Alonso continues to be the difference-maker Baltimore hoped it was getting when the Orioles made the aggressive move to sign him.
He has power, he produces runs and, perhaps most importantly right now, he has become one of the hottest hitters in baseball.
His first-inning RBI prevented Baltimore from playing from behind immediately, and his fifth-inning home run completely changed the game.
Rogers deserves just as much credit.
Allowing three runs in the second inning could have turned into a short outing against a dangerous Tampa Bay lineup. Instead, Rogers shut the Rays down over his final five innings and gave Baltimore seven strong frames.
That is winning baseball.
Baltimore remains below .500, so the Orioles cannot afford many extended losing streaks from this point forward. But there is still enough season remaining for Baltimore to make things interesting if the club can string together another run.
Friday was a good start.
Up Next
The Orioles and Rays continue their three-game series Saturday night at Camden Yards.
Baltimore is scheduled to send right-hander Brandon Young (9-3, 3.52 ERA) to the mound against Tampa Bay left-hander Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.25 ERA). citeturn307913view0
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Final: Orioles 5, Rays 3
Baltimore record: 62-67
Winning pitcher: Trevor Rogers (9-8)
Losing pitcher: Freddy Peralta (5-11)
Save: Rico Garcia (6)
Attendance: 25,963 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
