BALTIMORE—The day began with the news that two Oriole starters, John Means and Tyler Wells, are having season-ending elbow surgery. It ended with Austin Hays coming off the bench for a key pinch-hit and Jorge Mateo following with huge double in a three run sixth that carried the Orioles to a 3-1 win over the Tamps Bay Rays before 27,364 at Camden Yards on Friday night.
It was the Orioles’ seventh win in their last eight games.
The Orioles (36-19) scored the three runs in the sixth when Anthony Santander singled against Tampa Bay Aaron Civale. Richard Lovelady (1-4) gave up singles to Colton Cowser and Hays, who was pinch-hitting for Cedric Mullins, that tied the score at 1.
Mateo doubled off Phil Maton to score Cowser and Hays, giving the Orioles a 3-1 lead.
Oriole starter Albert Suárez allowed one run on four hits in five innings, walking two and striking out five. Tampa Bay scored its run in the second inning when Ben Rortvedt’s single scored Richie Palacios.
Cionel Pérez (1-0) pitched a perfect sixth. Yennier Cano, Danny Coulombe, Jacob Webb and Craig Kimbrel combined to one-hit Tampa Bay (28-30) in the final three innings.
Kimbrel earned his 13th save and the 430th of his career, passing Boston Kenley Jansen for fifth place on the all-time saves list.