Jun 9, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Grayson Rodriguez (30) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida—Adley Rutschman drove in six runs and hit a grand slam while Grayson Rodriguez was flawless into the sixth inning to lead the Orioles past the Tampa Bay Rays,9-2, before 20,386 at Tropicana Field on Sunday.
It was the third straight win for the Orioles (42-22) against the Rays (31-34). The teams will play again on Monday night.
Rodriguez seemingly toyed with the Rays for the first five innings, retiring 15 straight with no Tampa Bay hitter coming close to a hit.
The sixth inning was very different. Taylor Walls walked to lead off the inning, and after Ben Rortvedt struck out, José Caballero lined a ball that shortstop Gunnar Henderson snared for the second out.
Yandy Diaz, who had the only two hits on Saturday for the Rays, singled and after Brandon Lowe’s RBI single scored Walls, Rodriguez was out of the game.
Randy Arozarena singled to score Diaz against Dillon Tate and Josh Lowe walked to load the bases. Tate struck out Jonny DeLuca to end the inning.
Rodriguez (7-2) threw a career-high 107 pitches, allowing two runs on two hits, walking one and striking out six.
Henderson doubled to left with one out in the third against Zack Littell (2-4) and scored on Rutschman’s single.
Anthony Santander hit his 14th home run, his fifth in eight games in June, leading off the fourth to give the Orioles (42-22) a 2-0 lead.
Jordan Westburg doubled with two outs in the sixth and scored on Colton Cowser’s RBI triple to put the Orioles ahead, 3-0.
Cedric Mullins broke an 0-for-25 streak with a single leading off the fifth and led off the sixth with a triple. He held at third on Henderson’s infield hit and scored on Rutschman’s RBI single. Henderson scored on Ryan Mountcastle’s infield out to give the Orioles a 5-2 lead.
Rutschman hit his second grand slam of the season, and his 13th home run, in the eighth to give the Orioles a 9-2 lead.
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