Gunnar Henderson went 4-for-4 with a two-run homer as the Baltimore Orioles edged Tampa Bay 6-5 on Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla., snapping the Rays’ nine-game winning streak.
The shortstop also hit a double and scored twice as the Orioles moved to 3-4 on their 10-game road swing. The contest was the opener of a four-game series.
Dylan Beavers, who had two hits off the Baltimore bench, knocked a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh, and Colton Cowser socked a solo homer. Tyler O’Neill scored twice while collecting a single and two walks.
In his first start since early June, Orioles right-hander Chris Bassitt threw 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked three in his return from back surgery.
Josh Walker (1-0) got two outs in relief to record his first career win. Andrew Kittredge, Rico Garcia, Yennier Cano and Cam Sanders closed it out. Sanders recorded the last out for his second save.
Tampa Bay reliever Garrett Cleavinger (4-4) allowed two runs on two hits in one-third of an inning.
Richie Palacios went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI, but the Rays dropped to 18-5 in their past 23 games.
In the second inning, Baltimore produced the game’s first run. O’Neill walked, Henderson singled, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand drove in O’Neill with a sacrifice fly.
The home side answered immediately in the bottom half on Palacios’ RBI double, but Bassitt was able to get a popout and a flyout with the bases loaded to keep it tied.
Cowser put the Orioles back on top when he belted his 10th homer to center leading off the third. He sent the deep shot off the screen in front of the tank that houses the cownose stingrays.
Tampa Bay responded for the second time in the bottom of the third. Junior Caminero walked, stole second base and came home on Victor Mesa Jr.’s line-drive single to center.
In the seventh, Baltimore loaded the bases on Henderson’s third hit, a double by Encarnacion-Strand and an intentional walk. Beavers delivered a two-run single to right for a 4-2 lead.
An inning later, Henderson stroked his 20th homer, a high shot to right-center, for a 6-2 lead.
Jonathan Aranda’s two-run single and Caminero’s fielder’s-choice grounder cut the margin to one run in the ninth, but Sanders got a flyout from Ryan Vilade to lock down the win.