Randy Arozarena hit his first career grand slam, Tampa Bay relievers threw seven no-hit innings, and the Rays handed the Baltimore Orioles their 15th consecutive road loss, 7-1 on Sunday.
The Orioles extended a dubious team record, the worst road skid since the club moved from St. Louis to Baltimore in 1954.
Arozarena made it 7-1 when he stopped a personal 19-game home run drought on his drive to center off César Valdez in the seventh.
Tampa Bay Rays reliever Josh Fleming pitches against the Baltimore Orioles during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 13, 2021, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP PhotoSteve Nesius)
After opener Michael Wacha allowed one run and two hits, Josh Fleming (6-4) entered in the third and walked one — with two outs in the third that was the last Orioles' baserunner — over four innings.
Matt Wisler, Andrew Kittredge and Jeffrey Springs all worked one perfect inning.
Taylor Walls drove in two runs as Tampa Bay, with the majors' best record at 42-24, improved to 23-5 since May 13.
Baltimore Orioles starter Bruce Zimmerman pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 13, 2021, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP PhotoSteve Nesius)
Walls had a two-run single against Bruce Zimmermann (4-4) during the fourth as Tampa Bay took a 3-1 lead. The rookie, who started the game with one hit in his previous 15 at-bats, singled and stole second in the third before scoring on Yandy Díaz’s single.
Zimmermann gave up three runs and six hits in 5 ⅔ innings, and had his career-high three-game winning streak end.
Pat Valaika put the Orioles ahead 1-0 on a second-inning RBI single off Wacha.
Tampa Bay Rays' Manuel Margot, left, slides into third base on a single hit by Yandy Diaz as Baltimore Orioles' Maikel Franco looks to throw to first base during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 13, 2021, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP PhotoSteve Nesius)
Baltimore is 0-6 against the Rays this season, getting outscored 48-21.
WINDY CITY SHOWDOWN
The teams with the best two records in the AL meet Monday night in Chicago when the Rays take on the White Sox.
“It should be a very fun series,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “They’re a talented team. You kind of saw it coming over the last couple seasons. You saw the youth that they had, and now those guys have evolved. They added some big pieces. Their pitching has been tremendous.”
FUTILITY
Orioles 3B Maikel Franco was hitless in three at-bats and is 0 for 24 against the Rays this season. DH Ryan Mountcastle and CF Austin Hays are both 2 for 22 in the season series.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: CF Cedric Mullins had a scheduled day off. … 1B Trey Mancini was hit around the right elbow by a pitch in the first but stayed in the game.
Rays: 1B Ji-Man Choi (strained left groin) could return on Monday.
UP NEXT
Orioles: Manager Brandon Hyde said a pitcher will probably be called up from Triple-A Norfolk to start Monday night’s game at Cleveland. The Indians are going with RHP J.C. Mejía (1-1).
Rays: RHP Tyler Glasnow (5-2) and White Sox RHP Lance Lynn (7-1) are Monday night’s starters.
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