Four hits, two runs, one very large streak
Gunnar Henderson finished 4-for-4 with a double, a two-run homer and two runs scored as Baltimore beat Tampa Bay 6-5 on Friday night in St. Petersburg. The Rays had won nine straight. They had also gone 18-5 across their previous 23 games, the sort of run that usually reshapes a division race rather than ending on a quiet Friday.
Henderson’s homer was his 20th of the season, a high drive to right-centre in the eighth that pushed Baltimore four clear at 6-2. An inning later that cushion turned out to be the difference.
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Bassitt returns, Beavers decides it
Chris Bassitt made his first start since early June, back from back surgery, and gave Baltimore 5 1/3 innings on two runs and five hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Twice Tampa Bay answered a Baltimore run immediately: Richie Palacios doubled home a run in the second, then Junior Caminero walked, stole second and scored on Victor Mesa Jr.’s single in the third.
The seventh settled it. Henderson’s third hit and a Christian Encarnacion-Strand double loaded the bases alongside an intentional walk, and Dylan Beavers, one of two hits off the Baltimore bench, lined a two-run single to right. Colton Cowser had already sent his 10th homer off the screen in front of the stingray tank leading off the third.
Josh Walker recorded two outs in relief for the first win of his career. Cam Sanders got the final out for his second save, retiring Ryan Vilade on a flyout after Jonathan Aranda’s two-run single and a Caminero grounder had cut the margin to one.
Where it leaves both sides
Baltimore move to 3-4 on a 10-game road trip and open a four-game series in Florida with the tone set. Tyler O’Neill reached three times, scoring twice on a single and two walks.
Tampa Bay lose the streak but keep the underlying form that built it. Garrett Cleavinger took the loss after allowing two runs on two hits while recording a single out, and one third of an inning in mid-August is the kind of detail that gets replayed in September.
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