After transferring again into sole possession of first place within the American League East with a robust all-around effort on Friday, the Baltimore Orioles will flip to ace Corbin Burnes on Saturday as they attempt to clinch their weekend sequence in opposition to the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Orioles moved a half-game forward of the New York Yankees with a 4-1 victory within the sequence opener. Zach Eflin scattered 4 hits over seven shutout innings and Colton Cowser and Cedric Mullins each homered.
Baltimore, which improved to 4-4 on its season-high 10-game highway journey, additionally obtained some standout defensive performs by shortstop Gunnar Henderson and third baseman Ramon Urias en path to its seventh win in eight video games in opposition to the Rays this season.
“That was considered one of our most satisfying video games shortly for me simply due to the pitching that we obtained and the protection that we performed,” Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “I simply thought that we performed actually good baseball, baseball that we performed the primary few months of the season.”
The Orioles are simply 12-15 since July 9 however nonetheless maintain a half-game lead over the New York Yankees, who had their sport rained out on Friday.
“Well timed hits, actually good protection, large performs defensively and excellent pitching,” Hyde mentioned. “That was enjoyable to observe.”
Eflin improved to 3-0 in three begins since being acquired in a commerce from the Rays on July 26. He tied his season excessive with seven strikeouts and walked one.
“Actually, it was sort of like an out-of-body expertise,” Eflin mentioned of pitching in opposition to his former staff at Tropicana Subject simply two weeks after the commerce. “Being with these guys — what was it, like, 15 days in the past? — being in that clubhouse after which exhibiting up and seeing all the employees I used to be pals with, seeing among the guys on the staff and employees.”
Hyde mentioned, “A little bit additional motivation pitching in opposition to the staff you have been simply with. He is made three excellent begins for us. That was textbook pitching.”
Burnes (12-4, 2.63 ERA), within the hunt for his second profession Cy Younger Award, will attempt to transfer right into a tie for the foremost league lead in wins on Saturday. He has confronted Tampa Bay as soon as in his profession. That was on June 10 in St. Petersburg, the place he allowed two runs (each unearned) on 5 hits over seven innings whereas putting out six in a 5-2 win.
The Rays, 5 video games behind the Kansas Metropolis Royals for the ultimate AL wild-card spot, will reply with right-hander Drew Rasmussen (0-0, 0.00 ERA) as an opener. Rasmussen, who threw two 1-2-3 innings of reduction on Wednesday at St. Louis in his season debut, is 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in six profession appearances (4 begins) in opposition to Baltimore however hasn’t confronted the Orioles since 2022.
Rasmussen had his fastball contact 98.7 mph on the radar gun and struck out three in his first main league look since Might 11, 2023. He underwent his third elbow surgical procedure in seven years final July and can be used as a reliever and opener for the remainder of the season.
“I am actually enthusiastic about the place I am at and I am actually excited in regards to the alternative to play once more,” Rasmussen mentioned.
–Subject Degree Media
