Tuesday, 4 a.m.

When the turmoil ended, perhaps you thought it would be because of a deep home run. Maybe a double off the wall. Maybe a ball delivered into the deep gap.

Instead, it was a bounding grounder off the bat of pinch-hitter Jonny DeLuca.

DeLuca, hitting for catcher Liam Hicks with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, hit a chopper over the head of Baltimore third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand to drive in two runs and give the Rays the lead in a 7-6 victory.

The win broke a three-game losing streak by the Rays. Tampa Bay gave up 26 runs and 44 hits in the four games.

One of the stars of the game for the Rays was closer Bryan Baker, who recorded a five-out save (his 35th). On his way, Baker struck out Pete Alonso and got red-hot Gunnar Henderson on a groundout.

It was a good outing for a bullpen that has struggled lately. Rays' relievers had allowed 17 runs in the series.

The Rays got home runs from Yandy Diaz, Ryan Vilade and new addition Jorge Mateo (a two-run shot). Jonathan Aranda singled in a run.

The Rays got two hits from Diaz and Aranda.

Shane McClanahan made his return to the rotation, but he lasted only 10 outs.

The Rays begin a three-game series against Toronto tonight at Tropicana Field at 6:40. Nick Martinez (12-3) is expected to start for the Rays against Jose Soriano (9-6).

Monday, 4 a.m.

The mini-slump has turned into a slide. The losing streak has gone on for three games now. The bullpen is on fire. The Big Three are shrinking. Too few hits, too few runs.

Ouch.

The Tampa Bay Rays' swoon continues. The Rays lost to the last-place Baltimore Orioles for the third straight outing, and it wasn't pretty. It was 10-2, and there are few spots that looked good.

-- The vaunted Big Three of Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero went a combined one-for-12. For the three games, they are nine-for-40.

-- The bullpen gave up eight runs, bringing their total to 20 for the series.

-- The Rays were two-for-six with runners in scoring position, and are eight-for-28 for the series. They left eight runners on base, and have left 30 on for the series.

The Rays gave up three runs in the fifth and seven in the sixth in their loss.

The only runs they scored were on a home run by Ryan Vilade and a single by Jorge Mateo. Vilade had three hits for the Rays. Chandler Simpson had two.

The Rays and Orioles finish their series tonight at 6:05 p.m. at Tropicana Field. Nick Martinez (12-3) will start for the Rays against Brandon Young (9-3).

Sunday, 4 a.m.

Remember this one as a squandered opportunity.

The reason, of course, were several other smaller squandered opportunities.

The Tampa Bay Rays lost their second straight game Saturday evening, falling 4-3 in 10 innings to the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field.

The Rays wasted several chances throughout the game. They left 12 men on base, and they had only three hits in 13 opportunities with runners in scoring position. After rallying to tie the game in the ninth, they remained in a tie for two pitches until closer Bryan Baker gave up the winning single to Tyler O'Neill.

In the third inning, it seemed the Rays would have runnrs on second and third with no one out. But replay showed that the Orioles had tagged Taylor Walls as he slid into second base. The Rays scored only when Baltimore catcher Carlos Narvaez overthrew third base on a pickoff attempt.

In the fourth, Liam Hicks walked and Chandler Simpson singled with no one out. But Jonny DeLuca popped up a bunt, Cedric Mullins struck out and Rich Palacios flied out.

In the sixth, the Rays scored a run when Mullins tripled, but he was left on third base as the inning ended.

The Rays did score in the ninth when Yandy Diaz singled, Jonathan Aranda singled and Junior Caminero hit a soft single to third to score the tying run.

The Rays had three hits from Aranda and two each from Diaz and Simpson.

Ian Seymour went six innings without a decision. He gave up a pair of home runs in the no-decision.

Rays’ pitchers struck out 15 Baltimore hitters.

The Rays and Orioles play again today at 12:15 at Tropicana. Freddy Peralta (5-9) will start for the Rays against Trever Rogers (7-8).