Tampa Bay cannot keep the hot hitting streak going as they suffer a heart-breaking loss to Baltimore on Saturday afternoon.
Going into Saturday’s game, the Rays were four games above .500 for the first time this season. Coming off of the highest scoring game under manager Kevin Cash last night, the Rays were hoping to pile on the hits again for Star Wars Night at Tropicana Field.
History Falls Short
Jacob Faria took the mound with history on the line. Posting three career starts going 6.0+ innings, allowing one run or fewer, and collecting the win in all three, he joined only four others to do so since 1913. No one had ever accomplished the feat for their first four career games.
And sadly for the time being, no one will.
Welington Castillo ruined the potential history making day early, hitting a two-run homer with one out in the second. For Faria, it was the first time he saw a number higher than one for the opposition. It was also his first home run allowed in his young career. His second homer allowed came the following inning when Adam Jones hit the top of the wall in center field.
Though he struggled early, Faria dialed it in for the rest of his time on the mound. He finished with 6.0 innings, allowing three runs while striking out seven over 108 pitches.
Rays Keep Hitting Bombs
Down early to the Orioles, the Rays made it a new ballgame in the bottom of the third.Corey Dickerson, who is leading all designated hitters in All-Star voting, hit a two-run home run (17) that just cleared the right field wall.
But that was just half of the third inning fun…
We throw quite the 1-2 punch.#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/2UbGlMecCe
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 24, 2017
Evan Longoria took the very next pitch just a few sections over for a solo homer (11). For Tampa Bay, it was the 10th time they hit back-to-back home runs so far this season, a franchise record. And they are not even at the halfway point of the season yet.
Back-to-back for the TENTH time! A club record and it’s only June!#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/OfjrrVC9CZ
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 24, 2017
Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, that would be all of their offense on Saturday.
Bullpen Falters Late…Again
After Faria was pulled, Jose Alvarado walked the lead-off man in the seventh. That was the only batter he would face. Jumbo Diaz came in and gave up a two-RBI double to Mark Trumbo. On the next pitch, Trey Mancini took Diaz’s pitch over the fence, giving the Orioles a four run lead.
After two straight bunt singles to start the eighth, Manny Machado added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly off Diaz that went all the way to Mallex Smith at the warning track.
Even though he only faced one batter, Alvarado (0-3)was credited the loss after walking what would end up being the game winning runner. Dylan Bundy (8-6) pitched a seven inning gem for the Orioles and took the win. For the season series, Baltimore now leads 3-2 with 14 meetings remaining.
The Orioles, who tied a 93-year-old record Friday allowing 5+ runs for 20 straight games, avoided making negative history, only allowing three runs on Saturday.
A Hit Right In The Feelings
The 23,902 fans were treated to a feel good moment complete with a little star-power during the ceremonial first pitch. Cancer survivor Marsha Smith threw out the pitch, and then she got a little surpise…from her brother Emmitt.
Yes. That Emmitt.
Marsha Smith-Hill beat cancer.
Today we surprised her with her brother @EmmittSmith22! pic.twitter.com/iSrUb2s8eu
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 24, 2017
