ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Curtis Mead had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 on Sunday.
Anthony Santander hit his 35th homer and Albert Suárez gave up four hits in a career-high 6 2/3 scoreless innings for the Orioles, who fell into a tie with the New York Yankees atop the AL East.
“As a team, we stay positive,” Suárez said, “We won the series.”
Suárez made his second start in place of the injured Grayson Rodriguez, who is out until at least September with a mild shoulder strain.
“A great performance,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. “Gave us a great chance to win.”
Brandon Lowe walked to open the eighth against struggling reliever Craig Kimbrel (6-4) and stole second with one out. Christopher Morel drew a walk, the Rays had a double steal and Josh Lowe was intentionally walked to load the bases before Mead hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.
Kimbrel, fifth all-time with 440 saves, didn’t work the ninth for the fourth straight appearances after posting a 13.50 ERA during the second half of July.
“The leadoff walk doesn’t help, and got to be able to hold runners better than that,” Hyde said.
The Rays stole a club-tying four bases during an inning in the eighth.
“We won that game because B-Lowe was ready to go off Kimbrel once he got to first, and then got to second, picked the pitch to get to third,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “When you’re pitched tough and hits are tough to come by, like they are right now, sometimes you’ve got to do those things.”
Baltimore is 8-2, including 6-1 on the road, against Tampa Bay.
After Manuel Rodríguez (2-2) worked around Gunnar Henderson’s one-out double in the top of the eighth, Pete Fairbanks got three outs to get his 23rd save in 25 chances.
Henderson had his second consecutive three-hit game, and 14th overall with three or more this season,
Cionel Pérez replaced Suárez in the seventh and gave up a double to pinch-hitter José Caballero and a pinch-hit RBI single to Dylan Carlson.
Santander had been hitless in 11 at-bats before putting the Orioles up 1-0 in the fourth on his major league-best 26th homer since the start of June, off Jeffrey Springs.
Baltimore leads the majors with 184 homers.
Springs allowed one run, six hits and struck out eight over five-plus innings in his third start since having Tommy John surgery on April 24, 2023.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: INF Jorge Mateo (elbow) will be examined in the near future to determine a plan of action. He has been out since July 24.
Rays: RHP Ryan Pepiot (right knee infection) rejoined the team after starting Saturday night for Double-A Montgomery. He was not added to the roster but could rejoin the rotation this week.
UP NEXT
Orioles: LHP Trevor Rogers (2-10, 4.71) and Washington RHP Jake Irvin (8-10, 3.76 ERA) are Tuesday night’s starters. Rogers is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two starts with Baltimore after being obtained from Florida on July 30.
Rays: RHP Taj Bradley (6-6, 3.07 ERA) will face Houston LHP Framber Valdez (11-5, 3.46 ERA) on Monday night.
In a thrilling game against the Baltimore Orioles, the Tampa Bay Rays managed to avoid a sweep thanks to a late home run by outfielder Austin Meadows. The Rays had dropped the first two games of the series and were in danger of being swept at home, but Meadows came through in the clutch to secure a much-needed victory.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading blows throughout the nine innings. The Orioles took an early lead, but the Rays fought back to tie the game in the middle innings. However, it was Meadows who ultimately made the difference with his late-game heroics.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the score tied and a runner on base, Meadows stepped up to the plate and delivered a towering home run that sailed over the outfield wall. The crowd at Tropicana Field erupted in cheers as Meadows rounded the bases, giving the Rays a lead they would not relinquish.
Meadows’ clutch home run not only helped the Rays avoid a sweep but also provided a much-needed boost of confidence for the team. The victory was a testament to the resilience and determination of the Rays, who refused to give up despite facing a tough opponent.
After the game, Meadows credited his teammates for setting the table and giving him the opportunity to come through in the clutch. He also praised the Rays’ pitching staff for keeping them in the game and giving them a chance to win.
The Rays will look to build on this momentum as they continue their season, knowing that every win is crucial in a competitive division race. And while Meadows’ late home run will be remembered as the turning point in this particular game, it also serves as a reminder of the unpredictable and exciting nature of baseball.