Tampa Bay Rays pinch hitter Brandon Lowe hit a game-tying home run to help the Tampa Bay Rays erase an 8-run deficit to stun the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday in Tampa, Fla. File Photo by Steve Nesius/UPI | License Photo
Brandon Lowe clobbered a pinch-hit, two-run homer to help the Tampa Bay Rays score 12 unanswered runs and climb out of an 8-0 deficit to stun the Baltimore Orioles in Tampa, Fla.
The Rays, who trailed 8-0 after two innings, scored three in the third, one in the fourth and four in the fifth and seventh innings of the 12-8 triumph Wednesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The rally resulted in the largest comeback in MLB this season and tied for the largest rally in Rays history.
“Pretty amazing, I don’t know if I have the words,” Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters. “I’m really impressed with them and proud of them. … I’m really, really impressed with the way the offense stayed at it.
“It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re down in that type of hole.”
Rays third baseman Junior Caminero went 4 for 5 with two RBIs. Designated hitter Jonathan Aranda went 3 for 5 with two RBIs. Lowe and outfielder Jake Mangum also drove in two runs apiece. The Rays bullpen did not allow a hit, walk or run over the final six innings.
The Orioles started the scoring with a 388-foot, three-run homer from left fielder Colton Cowser in the third at-bat of the second inning. Fellow Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins ripped another 388-foot homer to right center field two at-bats later.
Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson followed with an RBI single for a 5-0 lead. Right fielder Ramon Laureano smacked a 352-foot, three-run shot in the next at-bat for the Orioles’ final runs of the night.
Rays starter Taj Bradley allowed six hits and seven runs, including six earned, over just 1 1/3 innings. Relief pitcher Kevin Kelly allowed the Laureano blast.
Fellow Rays relievers Edwin Uceta, Garrett Cleavinger, Mason Montgomery, Forrest Whitley and Pete Fairbanks silenced the Orioles for the rest of the night.
Orioles starter Trevor Rogers walked second baseman Curtis Mead to start the bottom of the third Caminero followed with a single. Left fielder Christopher Morel hit Rogers’ next pitch to left field for the Rays’ first run.
Mangum plated Caminero and Morel with an RBI single two at-bats later, cutting the deficit to five.
Caminero returned to the plate in the fourth and hit an RBI single off Orioles relief pitcher Scott Blewett, but the Rays’ best surge came with two outs in the fifth.
Shortstop Trevor Walls hit an RBI triple to right field to cut the deficit to just three runs. First baseman Yandy Diaz connected for an RBI single in the next exchange.
Lowe then came to the plate to face relief pitcher Yennier Cano. He worked the count full before hopping on a 96.1-mph fastball. The Rays pinch hitter hammered the high-and-inside offering to right center for a 401-foot, game-tying homer.
Caminero gave the Rays their first lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. Rays outfielder Josh Lowe hit another RBI single in the next exchange. Aranda connected for a third-consecutive RBI single two pitches later for the final two runs of the night.
The Rays (41-33), who have won five of their last six games, sit in second place in the American League East, 1.5 games behind the division-leading New York Yankees (42-31). The Orioles (31-42) are in last place, 11 games behind the Yankees.
The Rays will host the Orioles in the series finale at 7:35 p.m. EDT Thursday in Tampa.
