ST. PETERSBURG, Florida—Exactly two weeks after the Tampa Bay Rays traded right-handed starter Zach Eflin to the Orioles, he returned to Tropicana Field to face the team he’d played with for the better part of two years.
Eflin pitched seven scoreless innings, equaling a season-high, allowing just four hits as the Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-1, before 20,673 on Friday night.
It was his third start for the Orioles, and Eflin (8-7) has won all three.
Colton Cowser led off the game with his 18th home run, the 11th leadoff homer by the Orioles. Ryan O’Hearn had a two-run single against Tampa Bay starter Zack Littell (5-8) in the fifth, and Cedric Mullins hit his 12th home run off Richard Lovelady in the sixth.
Eflin walked Brandon Lowe, his second batter, in the first, and allowed singles to Jonny DeLuca in the second, Christoper Morel in the fourth and Tyler Walls in the fifth. Jose Caballero doubled with two outs in the seventh.
Eflin walked one and struck out seven, equaling a season high, throwing 94 pitches.
Seranthony Dominguez pitched a spotless eighth. Yennier Cano allowed a leadoff home run to Dylan Carlson in the ninth before retiring the final three batters of the game.
With the win, the Orioles (69-48) take over first place in the American League East by ½ game. The Yankees game with Texas was rained out.