Two one-run wins and suddenly everything looks different
Baltimore took the first two games of the series in St. Petersburg. Two one-run wins. The second went to extra innings on Saturday night, sealed by Tyler O’Neill’s decisive single. Final score: 4-3.
Craig Albernaz had already set the tone before first pitch. His team sold off several veterans at the trade deadline, yet here they are, still playing meaningful baseball in August. “We’re trying to get into the playoffs,” the Orioles manager said. “Every game matters. When you lose, it’s a bad loss. When you win, it’s a huge win.”
The result leaves Baltimore level with Toronto and Detroit, half a game behind the Texas Rangers for the final American League wild card spot. Minnesota and Cleveland are another half-game back.
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Trevor Rogers gets another shot at a bad memory
Baltimore hands the ball to Trevor Rogers on Sunday afternoon as it tries to finish off the four-game set. The left-hander is 7-8 with a 4.21 ERA this season. He’s won four of his last five decisions.
His record against the Rays is less impressive. One win, one loss, a 6.00 ERA in five career starts. On May 18, back in St. Petersburg, he was tagged for eight runs in three and two-thirds innings. Tampa Bay rolled to a 16-6 win. It was his worst outing of the 2026 season.
Yandy Diaz gets the Rays moving again
On the other side, Tampa Bay is leaning on its leadoff man. Yandy Diaz won the American League batting title in 2023 with a .330 average. July dragged him down to .213. Over his last six games, though, he’s hit .464 with two home runs and five RBIs. His average is back up to .303.
The Rays also brought in Jorge Mateo, who was cut loose by Atlanta last week. The infielder spent five seasons in Baltimore before joining the Braves in January. Kevin Cash likes the speed and the glove. Mateo has 117 successful steals in 139 attempts across seven seasons.
On the mound, Freddy Peralta will make his third start since arriving from the Mets. His season line does not inspire much confidence at 5-9 with a 5.33 ERA. But his numbers against the Orioles tell a different story: a 2.45 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 11 innings.
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