Shane Baz Fans 9 as Orioles Beat Rays 6-1
The orioles beat the Rays 6-1 on Tuesday night, stretching their recent run to four wins in five games and picking up their second straight series win. Samuel Basallo’s three-run homer and a sharp bullpen finish backed the scoreline, while Baltimore stayed 1.5 games from the final American League wild card spot.
Basallo And Cowser Set The Pace
Basallo retook the team lead in OPS at.810 with his three-run homer, and Colton Cowser added another hit and a walk. Jackson Holliday went 2-for-3, giving Baltimore enough traffic to keep pressure on Tampa Bay even after Shane Baz settled in.
The Orioles scored five or more runs in all four of their wins during this stretch. That pattern has made the margin clear: when Baltimore gets enough offense to cross that threshold, it has been able to turn tight games into wins and keep climbing back toward.500 from a 25-30 record.
Baz’s Nine Strikeouts
Baz still worked through seven innings and allowed one run, striking out nine in a start that continued a strong run of his own. His season ERA dropped from 5.48 on May 9 to 4.48 after three straight good starts, and he has allowed five total runs over 20 innings in that span.
The Rays pitcher kept Baltimore from stacking early crooked numbers, but the Orioles bullpen covered the final two innings without allowing a run. That finish left Tampa Bay with one run and Baltimore with the cleaner late answer, the difference in a game that moved the Orioles one step deeper into their recent surge.
Orioles Roster Moves
Baltimore’s night also came with a roster decision: the club designated Dietrich Enns for assignment. On the injury side, Heston Kjerstad is the only injured Orioles player who might be close to a return, and Ryan Helsley should be back in the next couple of weeks.
For now, the Orioles keep living off the same formula that has carried this stretch — enough offense to reach five or more runs, then enough pitching to finish it. The standings gap is still small, with Minnesota holding the final wild card spot at 27-28, so every win like this one keeps Baltimore in position to pressure the chase pack.
