Beavers Delivers Pinch-Hit Heroics as Orioles Crash Rays' Party, Snap 9-Game Tear

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays were rolling. Nine straight wins, fresh off a perfect road trip, and already looking like the AL East bullies. Then Dylan Beavers happened.

The Orioles' pinch-hitter ripped a two-run single in the seventh inning to flip the script, and Baltimore held off Tampa Bay's furious ninth-inning rally to steal a 6-5 win Friday night.

The Pinch-Hit Heard 'Round Tropicana

Beavers stepped up with the bases loaded and reliever Kevin Kelly on the bump, then smoked a base hit to right field that broke a 2-2 tie and put the Orioles ahead for good. Cold. Calculated. Clutch.

Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser both went yard, with Cowser leading off the third with a solo blast to right-center to put Baltimore up 2-1. Henderson followed with a two-run bomb off Chris Roycroft in the eighth — and that proved to be the difference after Tampa Bay made things terrifying in the ninth.

Bassitt's Back, and the Bullpen Holds On

Chris Bassitt made his first appearance since June 3 after being activated off the 60-day IL, and he delivered: 5 1/3 innings, just two runs and five hits. Josh Walker got the win with 2/3 of an inning, and Cam Sanders slamming the door for his second save — but not before the Rays scored three times in the ninth to make Orioles fans sweat.

Rays' Weird ABS Twist Not Enough

Tampa Bay caught a bizarre break in the third when a would-be walk to Liam Hicks was overturned on an ABS challenge, turning ball four into strike three. Junior Caminero, who was running from first, got sent back — then promptly stole second and scored on Victor Mesa Jr.'s RBI single. Clever, but it only tied the game.

Garrett Cleavinger (4-4) took the loss as the Rays burned through six relievers behind opener Steven Matz. Despite the L, Tampa Bay still owns a comfortable 6 1/2-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East.

Up Next

The Orioles send Kyle Brandish (7-11, 3.69 ERA) to the mound Saturday, opposing Tampa Bay lefty Ian Seymour (9-3, 4.08). Expect more fireworks.