The Baltimore Orioles came up short in their bid to sweep a four-game series against the American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, falling 7-6 in a closely contested matchup. Despite an early offensive surge and a strong start, Baltimore was unable to hold on, as the Rays capitalized on late-inning pitching struggles.
The Orioles entered the seventh inning holding a 6-4 lead after another strong offensive showing. However, relief pitcher Yennier Cano faltered for the second time in the series, allowing the first four batters he faced to reach base and yielding three runs. Cano’s difficulties marked a reversal from Baltimore’s opening victory in the series on Friday, which they secured in a narrow 7-6 win. Tampa Bay took full advantage of Cano’s performance this time, ultimately overtaking Baltimore.
Baltimore’s offense remained active in the latter innings, but the Orioles stranded three runners against Rays closer Bryan Baker. Baker, a former Baltimore player, was effective in securing his major league-leading 35th save by retiring five of six batters faced, preserving the Rays’ lead in the ninth.
The loss dropped Baltimore (61-64) into a tie for the third and final American League wild-card spot. For the third time in four games during the series, the Orioles took an early lead. The highlight came from Coby Mayo, who blasted a 468-foot home run off Rays starter Shane McClanahan, who had just returned from the injured list. The homer ranks as the fourth longest in MLB this season and the fifth longest in Orioles’ history since Statcast tracking began in 2015.
However, Orioles starter Brandon Young struggled with control, surrendering three home runs over the third and fourth innings. Yandy Díaz opened the scoring for Tampa Bay with a solo homer in the third, followed by solo shots from Ryan Vilade and Jorge Mateo in the fourth. Mateo’s two-run homer was his first as a Ray since joining Tampa Bay last week and his first against his former team since leaving Baltimore in the offseason.
Baltimore’s offense responded with timely hitting from Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who delivered a two-run single in the fourth and a two-run home run in the fifth to reclaim a 6-4 lead. Between those hits, Pete Alonso also added a solo home run off Rays reliever Tyler Wells, who was acquired from Baltimore at the trade deadline.
In the seventh inning, after Cano allowed Tampa Bay to pull even, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz turned to left-hander Josh Walker. Walker was unable to contain the Rays, giving up a game-winning two-run RBI single to Jonny DeLuca, which put Tampa Bay ahead for good.
The Rays’ victory underscored the challenges Baltimore faces in maintaining leads and closing out games, particularly on the road against top-tier opponents. The series loss leaves the Orioles fighting for a postseason berth as the regular season approaches its final weeks.