The Tampa Bay Rays lost to the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 on Saturday afternoon, in the first game of a doubleheader. The loss was the Rays fifth straight & included Starting Pitcher Chris Archer allowing three home runs, including two solo home runs by Second Baseman Jonathan Schoop.
Baltimore got an effective start from Starting Pitcher David Hess, who pitched six innings in his big league debut. Meanwhile Archer gave up six runs in seven innings & suffered his third loss of the season.
The afternoon started well for the Rays when with one out Designated Hitter C.J. Cron & Second Baseman Joey Wendle hit back to back singles. And Third Baseman Matt Duffy hit his second home run of the season, giving Tampa Bay the early 3-0 lead.
Archer followed the three run top first with a quick inning, throwing just seven pitches to send the Orioles down in order in the bottom of the inning. But after the Rays went down 1-2-3 in their half of the second inning, Archer’s struggles began with the first pitch to the first batter of the inning, when Schoop hit the first pitch he saw in the game into the seats in left field. And one out later, the Orioles got a single from Designated Hitter Mark Trumbo & then Catcher Chance Sisco hit an Archer pitch off the wall in left field, just missing the Orioles second home run of the inning.
With Trumbo scoring on Sisco’s double off the wall, the Orioles had their second run of the inning & tied the game at three when with two outs Sisco, who advanced to third on a fly out, pulled off a double steal with Third Baseman Jace Peterson. Sisco scored when Peterson beat Rays Catcher Jesus Sucre throw to second base. And while the Rays damage against Hess was confined mainly to the first inning, the Orioles feasted on a couple more Archer pitches in the third inning when Shortstop Manny Machado drilled a home run to right-centerfield, his third consecutive game with a home run & Schoop jumped on the first pitch after the Machado home run depositing his second solo home run of the game to left field, giving the Orioles a 5-3 lead.
The Rays will try to end their losing streak & end the Orioles four game winning streak in the second game on Saturday. The Rays will give the ball Pitcher Matt Andriese (0-1 3.92) while former Rays pitcher Alex Cobb (0-4 7.61) gets his second start against his former mates.