[Art Deco]

Game 1: The offense showed up, but the pitching didn't as the Rays fell 11-8 in the series opener. Walker Buehler, who dominated this same Orioles lineup six days earlier to the tune of 1 run and 15 Ks, was a human pinata, battered for 8 runs and 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings as it seemed every ball put into play was hit hard. The Rays had an early 3-0 which included the first MLB HR from Heston Kjerstad and one from Keston Hiura (the old Heston & Keston combo) but Buehler gave 4 right back in the bottom of the 2nd. The Rays tied it at 4 in the top of the 3rd, then Buehler gave up 2 more in the bottom, and after they tied it at 6 in the 5th, well you guessed it, he gave up 2 more in the bottom of the 5th before being pulled. Asa Lacy wasn't sharp at all in relief, giving up a run in 2 innings and walking 4, and Sandy Gaston whiffed 4 in his 1 2/3 but gave up a 2-run HR to Renato Nunez, who had 5 RBI on the night. Alec Bohm hit a 2-run shot in the 9th to get it closer but that was it. Vidal Brujan was on base 3 times in 5 plate appearances again and stole 3 more bases, while Ronaldo Hernandez played for a tired Keibert and went 0-4 with a sac fly as he continues to have a miserable 2024. Oh and Wander had to come out with a sore ankle that will keep him out for the remaining 2 games of the series, so not a great start to the second half of the season.

Game 2: On the heels of Walker Buehler's blowup yesterday, when Matt Manning gave up HRs to the first 2 batters he faced today "here we go again" was definitely on everyone's minds. But that was all Baltimore would get against Manning over 7 innings and the Rays themselves bashed 4 homers, including from two 2024 disappointments in the HR department, as they picked up a 6-2 win over the Orioles. Manning turned in an excellent 7 6 2 2 1 6 line, unthinkable after the 1st inning, and Mitchell Verburg pitched the final two innings which included a 3-pitch 8th inning that featured a double play. The offense was led by the forgotten Seth Beer, starting at DH only because Keston Hiura was filling in for Wander Franco today. While Hiura was going 0-5, Beer drilled a 2-run HR off Vladimir Gutierrez (#5) to put the Rays on top to stay at 3-2 in the 2nd, on the heels of a gargantuan blast earlier in the inning from Rafael Devers. And in the 4th after Keibert Ruiz hit only his 4th HR of the season to make it 4-2, Beer singled in a run to give him a 3-RBI day. Austin Meadows added #22 in the 5th to cap the scoring.

Game 3: More problems for Rays starting pitching in the Coors Field of the AL as Tyler Glasnow gave up a pair of 3-run HRs to Renato Nunez to put the Rays in a 7-0 hole from which they nearly climbed out, getting within 7-6 by the 6th before losing 8-6 in the end. Glasnow was 5 9 7 7 1 7, so he had his stuff but it was just a bit too hittable. The 4 runs he allowed in the first were particularly frustrating as he got the first two out before three singles loaded the bases for Nunez. Meanwhile the Rays chipped away at the lead, with a Wander RBI triple, 2-run HR by Rafael Devers (his second in as many days), and a solo shot from Triston Casas (playing for Alec Bohm) the offensive highlights. Mitch Keller had his best outing in a while with 2 scoreless innings and 3 whiffs, but with lefties due up in the 8th I brought on Jose Alvarado with a day off tomorrow but shouldn't have left him in to face the righty Mitch Haniger, who singled in a run off him. Despite losing 2 of 3 to Baltimore this weekend, the lead remains 11 1/2.

Team record: 53-31. Next up: An off-day followed by 2 games at Wrigley Field against the woeful Cubs, who are 22-61. This means we'll probably get a split at best.