Rays rally past Orioles to avoid sweep, move back above .500

ST. PETERSBURG — A six-game stretch that had been mostly for the birds ended on a solid note for the Rays on Sunday.

Just when it seemed the Cardinals and Orioles would conspire to essentially knock Tampa Bay from wild-card contention, the Rays (59-58) moved back above .500, rallying for a 2-1 triumph Sunday against Baltimore to avoid a three-game sweep and snap the Orioles’ eight-game win streak at Tropicana Field.

The decisive run, in the eighth inning, was manufactured off high-leverage extraordinaire and nine-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel. Brandon Lowe scored it after walking, then stealing second and third. He came home on Curtis Mead’s one-out sacrifice fly to deep rightfield — the only ball put in play in the inning.

“We won that game because (Lowe) was ready to go off Kimbrel once he got to first,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “And then (he) got to second, picked the pitch to get to third. So, when you’re pitched tough and hits are tough to come by like they are right now, sometimes you’ve got to do those things.”

The victory, following four losses in their previous five games against the Cardinals and Orioles, moved the Rays to within 5½ games of the Royals in the race for the American League’s final wild-card spot.

“The team over there, they’re very good and they’re going to play until the last out,” Rays left-handed starter Jeffrey Springs said. “So, to be able to scratch across a couple (of runs) there late against a good bullpen, great win.”

Preceding the rally was a mostly sparkling effort by Springs, making his third big-league start since returning from Tommy John surgery in April 2023.

Before a Tropicana Field crowd of 16,848, Springs allowed a run on six hits, striking out eight and walking none in five innings. He surrendered only one hit through the first three innings before allowing a leadoff home run in the fourth to Anthony Santander, his major league-leading 26th since the start of June.

Springs was pulled after allowing a leadoff hit in the sixth, having thrown 58 of his 83 pitches for strikes.

“I felt like I was able to move the ball around, execute some pitches,” Springs said.

“They’ve got a really good lineup, so understanding that you’ve got to mix and move. But overall, I think I made pretty good pitches. I fell behind a couple hitters. Santander, good hitter, I fell behind, I wanted to challenge him. He just beat me to a spot. But overall, yeah, definitely something to build off of.”

The Rays had been 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position off Orioles starter Albert Suarez when their rally commenced in the seventh. With two outs, pinch-hitter Jose Caballero — who had a game-tying solo home run in the seventh inning Saturday — doubled off Orioles reliever Cionel Perez. Another pinch-hitter, Dylan Carlson, then singled to score Caballero.

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“Pinch-hitting is, in my opinion, probably the hardest thing to do in our game,” Brandon Lowe said.

“To sit for seven or eight innings, then to come in and face more than likely one of their best arms. ... It’s their go-to guys, their high-leverage guys, and Cabby wasted no time on the first pitch.”

Nor did Mead, who watched the Orioles intentionally walk Josh Lowe to load the bases and get to him. The sacrifice fly, off a 1-1 pitch from Kimbrel, was his first career go-ahead RBI in the eight inning or later.

“This game’s tough, and it’s really, really tough for young players that are trying to find their footing,” Cash said. “You’re facing a really elite pitcher right there. To move the ball, put the ball in play was big. I hope he feels good about it, because he should.”

Closer Pete Fairbanks followed by striking out three while allowing a hit in a scoreless ninth, capping a collective bullpen effort that worked four scoreless innings.

“Hopefully we take it, roll it into (Monday against the Astros) and continue to build off it,” Springs said.

Contact Joey Knight at [email protected]. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls

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