Rays at Orioles (Game 2)
The Tampa Bay Rays have their sights set on a playoff appearance and began the second half in fine form by jumping on top early and blowing out the Baltimore Orioles. The Rays will try to continue taking advantage of the American League-worst Orioles when they visit for a day-night doubleheader on Saturday.
Tampa Bay had little trouble with Baltimore on Friday, pounding out seven runs in the first inning and finishing with 20 hits in a 16-4 win that kept it 6 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East. The Rays, who visit the Yankees for four games after finishing with Baltimore, got home runs from Tommy Pham and Nate Lowe on Friday to go with seven solid innings from right-hander Yonny Chirinos, saving the bullpen for Saturday's doubleheader. The Orioles only got one inning out of starter Dylan Bundy on Friday, but right-hander Gabriel Ynoa came on and absorbed 5 1/3 frames to keep the staff mostly intact with three games scheduled over the next two days. Baltimore will send newly acquired right-hander Aaron Brooks to the mound against top prospect Brendan McKay in the opener Saturday while the nightcap features a pair of All-Stars in Rays righty Charlie Morton and Orioles lefty John Means.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Charlie Morton (10-2, 2.32 ERA) vs. Orioles LH John Means (7-4, 2.50)
Morton leads the AL in ERA and went into the break strong with wins in his last two starts. The 35-year-old All-Star allowed a total of two runs and nine hits while striking out 22 in 12 2/3 innings against Baltimore and New York. Morton, who breezed through seven innings in that July 2 start against the Orioles, is 5-1 with a 1.86 ERA in 10 starts on the road this season.
Means allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his last 10 appearances and served as Baltimore's lone representative at Tuesday's All-Star Game, though he did not appear in the contest. The 26-year-old rookie last worked on July 3 at Tampa Bay, when he scattered three runs - two earned - and six hits over seven innings but did not factor in the decision. The seven innings matched a season high for Means, who worked five innings in each of his three previous turns.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rays placed LHP Jose Alvarado (oblique) and RHP Chaz Roe (elbow) on the injured list while activating RHP Diego Castillo (shoulder) and recalling RHP Hunter Wood from Triple-A Durham.
2. Baltimore 3B Renato Nunez hit his team-leading 21st home run in the opener.
3. Tampa Bay All-Star OF Austin Meadows (illness) was lifted from Friday's game and is day-to-day.