Orioles top – Shane Baz struck out a season-high nine and Samuel Basallo launched a three-run homer as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-1 on Tuesday night.
BALTIMORE — Shane Baz made it look routine in the early innings, then relentless as the game wore on. By the time the Orioles had room to breathe, the result was already clear: they chased Tampa Bay into a 6-1 loss on Tuesday night.
Baz punched out a season-high nine hitters while holding the Rays to one run over seven innings. The 26-year-old right-hander. who joined Baltimore in a trade from Tampa Bay in December. finished with seven hits allowed and two walks. His control set the tone from the mound, and once the Orioles found consistent offense, the game stopped feeling close.
Samuel Basallo delivered the kind of swing that changes how a stadium sounds. His three-run homer was his eighth of the season, a 405-foot shot to right-center field. The blast came after Holliday created momentum in the fifth. Jackson Holliday reached on a single. advanced to second after Gunnar Henderson beat out a throw to first base. and the moment nearly ended in disappointment.
Holliday was originally ruled out at second, but the call was overturned when the Orioles challenged. Basallo followed that turn of events with his homer, turning what could have been a pause into a surge.
The Orioles didn’t wait for one big inning to take command. Basallo scored in the second on a fielding error by Rays second baseman Richie Palacios. Holliday added an RBI single, and Taylor Ward knocked in another run with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.
Tampa Bay did get on the board first, with Chandler Simpson scoring on Jonathan Aranda’s RBI single in the first inning, but once Baltimore built its lead, the Rays couldn’t find a second breath.
On the Rays side, starting pitcher Griffin Jax (1-3) endured a rough break in the second. A 107-mph line drive off Leody Tavares hit him in the back. Jax completed the inning but didn’t return for the third. He finished with two innings, allowing three hits with three strikeouts.
Relief followed quickly: Garrett Cleavinger pitched the next two innings with three strikeouts. Trevor Martin then worked three innings, giving up three hits and three earned runs, with two walks and a strikeout.
The late innings brought a familiar name to Tampa Bay’s bullpen plans. Craig Kimbrel made his Rays debut in the eighth inning after being signed earlier in the day. He struck out two hitters and allowed a hit.
Baltimore’s momentum now points to the series finale Wednesday, with RHP Chris Bassitt (4-3, 5.51 ERA) set to start for the Orioles against LHP Steven Matz (4-1, 3.70) for the Rays.
Baltimore Orioles Tampa Bay Rays Shane Baz Samuel Basallo Jackson Holliday Gunnar Henderson Taylor Ward Griffin Jax Craig Kimbrel Chris Bassitt Steven Matz MLB