TAMPA — The problem, at this level, is likely to be discovering one thing the Rays aren’t doing properly.
The Rays continued their practically monthlong surge with a 7-1 win over the Orioles on Monday night time at George M. Steinbrenner Subject, their MLB-best nineteenth victory of their final 25 video games since Could 20.
Tampa Bay has outscored its opponents, 150-72, throughout that stretch. It would seem to be an exaggeration or an oversimplification to say that all the pieces has been clicking for the Rays as they’ve soared up the standings, but it surely’s true.
Take it from Orioles interim supervisor Tony Mansolino: “It is as marketed. It is contact. It is velocity. There’s some residence runs in there, too. It is pitching. It is protection. It is a actually good group proper now. They’re taking part in nice.”
The Rays’ lineup is averaging six runs whereas their pitching employees has permitted 2.88 per sport. They’ve scored at the very least seven runs in 4 straight video games. Even their losses have been shut, with all six coming by a mixed eight runs.
It was all on show towards an Orioles membership that had gained 11 of 15 previous to Monday’s collection opener, the 2 golf equipment’ first matchup of the season.
Whereas their lineup battered former Ray Zach Eflin for a career-high 12 hits and 7 runs in his 5 innings of labor, starter Ryan Pepiot struck out 11 over a career-high eight innings.
“He was unbelievable,” Rays supervisor Kevin Money stated of Pepiot. “I imply, nearly as good of stuff as I’ve seen him have, and he is had a whole lot of actually strong outings this 12 months. That one in all probability tops it.”
And as has typically been the case recently, Tampa Bay got here at Eflin with a diversified assault. They hit for energy. They utilized strain with powerful at-bats and infield singles. They stored including on.
In different phrases, they did what they’ve been doing for the previous month or so. Josh Lowe used the phrase “contagious” to explain their lineup. Money and Brandon Lowe used one other phrase that begins with the identical two letters.
“Full, in a way. You are not depending on one method to rating,” the second baseman stated. “You are not residing and dying by the house run ball. You are not residing and dying by having 4 hits in an inning.
“We will hit the house run. We will have 4 hits in an inning. We will bunt a man in, can have good baserunning that scores runs. It is a harmful factor to have as an offense when you will have so some ways you could rating.”
The ability got here from the highest of the order. Josh Lowe launched a leadoff homer to proper area within the first inning, his first profession leadoff homer, and Brandon Lowe added some thump with a two-run shot to right-center within the fourth.
In between, they scored by placing the ball in play and creating havoc.
Within the second, they used an infield single by Jake Mangum, a single to middle by Danny Jansen and a shocking bunt single by Christopher Morel to place up one run. They scored once more within the third on an infield single by Yandy Díaz, a stroll, a double-play grounder and one other infield single by Mangum, his 14th of the season.
Mangum tacked on two extra runs within the fifth, following one other single by Jonathan Aranda and a double to left by Junior Caminero.
“Some nights you do not have one factor, it is advisable have one thing else, so we simply hold looking for alternative ways to win,” Mangum stated. “We’ve a whole lot of religion in one another. If I do not get the job completed, the man behind me is gonna get it completed, the man in entrance of me is gonna get it completed.”
They usually acquired it completed on the mound, with Pepiot’s brilliance supported by sturdy protection. Because of a trio of double performs, the right-hander solely confronted 27 batters in eight innings. The lone run he permitted got here on an Adley Rutschman homer with a 49-degree launch angle, and 10 of his 11 strikeouts had been swinging.
“Danny [Jansen] referred to as an outstanding sport,” Pepiot stated. “We had been simply executing pitches left and proper, simply mixing speeds and retaining them off-balance.”
Pepiot racked up 18 swinging strikes on the night time. He completed with 5 strikeouts together with his fastball, 5 together with his changeup and his final one of many night time with a slider. As elite as all his stuff might have been, Pepiot was most happy together with his effectivity.
“It was good to exit for the eighth. [Zack] Littell completed a CG final [month], and he is holding it over all of our heads,” he stated, smiling. “We’re all making an attempt to be environment friendly and making an attempt to have that old-school mentality of, when it is our begin day, it is our sport.”
