Ryan Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg each belted a two-run homer to propel the Baltimore Orioles to a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Anthony Santander launched a leadoff homer in the second inning and Ramon Urias added an RBI double as the Orioles snapped a two-game losing streak.
Cole Irvin (6-2) picked up the win after allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts and no walks in 5 2/3 innings. Two relievers bridged the gap to Craig Kimbrel, who retired the side in order in the ninth inning to secure his 14th save.
Jose Siri belted a solo homer and scored on a throwing error for the Rays, who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt in the opener of a four-game series.
With the game tied 2-2, Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson singled to lead off the fifth inning. Mountcastle stepped up two batters later and deposited a 3-1 sinker from Aaron Civale (2-5) just inside the right field foul pole. Mountcastle’s homer was his 11th of the season and third against Tampa Bay.
Siri scored on shortstop Henderson’s throwing error to trim Baltimore’s lead to 4-3 in the sixth inning, but the Orioles added to their cushion in the eighth. Ryan O’Hearn doubled to lead off the inning, and with one out, Westburg sent a 1-0 cutter from Chris Devenski over the wall in right field for his 10th homer of the season.
Civale fell to 0-4 in his past 10 outings after permitting four runs on seven hits in five innings. He fanned eight and walked one.
Santander sent a 1-2 fastball from Civale over the wall in right field to open the scoring. The homer was Santander’s 13th of the season.
Colton Cowser singled two batters later and just beat the relay home by shortstop Taylor Walls on Urias’ two-out double into the left field corner. Cowser initially was called out at the plate before Baltimore successfully challenged the play.
Siri halved the deficit in the second inning after depositing a 1-0 fastball from Irvin over the wall in left-center field for his sixth homer.
Amed Rosario’s sacrifice fly plated Yandy Diaz to forge a 2-2 tie in the third inning.
–Field Level Media
