Rays at Orioles (Game 1)
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: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Brendan McKay (1-0, 2.45 EAR) vs. Orioles RH Aaron Brooks (2-3, 5.01)
McKay will serve as the 26th man for the doubleheader while making his third career start and was solid in the first two while going up against playoff hopefuls Texas and New York. The 23-year-old top prospect held the Rangers to one hit in six scoreless innings before surrendering three runs in five frames against the Yankees on July 5. McKay is 6-0 with a 1.22 ERA across two levels in the minors this season, striking out 88 in 66 2/3 total innings.
Brooks was claimed off waivers from the Athletics on Tuesday and will stretch out as a starter after making six of his 15 appearances in that role with Oakland this season. "We're going to work him in," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters of Brooks. "We're going to stretch out. He hasn't thrown in a while. He hasn't started in a while." Brooks' last start came at Boston on April 30 and his last major league appearance was a two-inning stint out of the bullpen on June 30.
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.