Samuel Basallo’s three-run homer broke the game open and the orioles beat the Rays 6-1 at Camden Yards on Tuesday night, a victory paced by Shane Baz’s seven-inning outing and a shaky Tampa defense.
Baz, who signed an extension with Baltimore, allowed one run and seven hits over seven innings while striking out a season-high nine batters; his ERA dropped to 4.48 after the performance. He retired the Rays in order in the seventh on eight pitches and finished the night after 91 pitches overall, and the club announced an attendance of 11,878.
The numbers that mattered ran deeper than the box score. Basallo’s three-run shot provided the decisive margin and the Rays committed three errors, resulting in six unearned runs. The result lifted the orioles to four wins in five games and left the club 25-30, five games below.500 — their deepest sub-.500 mark since May 17 in Washington, D.C.
Manager Craig Albernaz praised the clubhouse’s approach, saying the team has been resilient, that they move on quickly from outcomes and that players show up every day trying to win the night. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson’s two-run night earlier in the stretch has been a timely spike in form that matters now for the orioles:
The game also highlighted a recent pattern for Baz: he has surrendered five runs across 20 innings over his last three starts, but Tuesday’s outing gave him room to reset. Facing his former club, Baz credited his battery mates and his own defense for key moments, saying his catcher and teammates do what he asks and that making a play while making a pitch helped him settle in and find a rhythm.
Tampa Bay came to Baltimore with a 34-18 record but looked uncharacteristically sloppy, handing Baltimore extra opportunities. The Rays’ three miscues turned into six unearned runs and swung the game decisively; that gap between Tampa’s season record and Tuesday’s execution is the friction here.
The orioles, who earlier added roster options and placed moves into motion around Baz’s slot in the rotation, will carry this momentum into the rest of the series; the club recalled Trey Gibson to start the series finale, a move the team made earlier in the week: Baz’s start followed roster adjustments made when the team designated a reliever and added depth:
Samuel Basallo, who had second thoughts about naming any streaks, said the team has been playing better and they feel good about their approach, adding that all they want to do is keep playing hard and playing the right way. With the orioles winning four of five, Basallo’s homer and Baz’s control gave Baltimore a clearer identity tonight — a pitching performance backed by opportunistic offense and a defense that forced Tampa into costly mistakes.
