Wednesday, 4 a.m.
Are the Tampa Bay Rays getting homer happy?
Sure, the Rays have hit a lot of home runs this season, particularly for a team that was supposed to be power-challenged. Sure, it's a lot of fun to jog around the bases.
But have the Rays become too reliant on the long ball?
Consider: Both of their runs in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to Baltimore came on solo homers. Two of their three runs in Monday's 3-0 victory over the Orioles came on solo homers.
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Despite their 75 home runs, eventually, the Rays have to come up with a big hit to drive in runs.
They didn't Tuesday, going 0-7 with runners in scoring position and stranding nine men. They had eight hits and seven walks, but four times, they hit into double plays. and had a man picked off base. In five innings, they had two runners on base and stranded them.
The Rays' only runs came on solo homers by Wander Franco and Taylor Walls.
The O's scored three times in the third inning, two of them coming on a home run by Adley Rutschman. Baltimore's pitching, led by Grayson Rodriguez held the Rays at bay.
Tampa Bay and Baltimore play the rubber game of the series tonight at 6:40 p.m. The Rays have not announced a starter, but Baltimore will start Dean Kremer.