Sunday, 3 a.m.
When a team has been wandering the desert for a week, it doesn't complain about the drinking water at the oasis.
The Tampa Bay Rays snapped a four-game losing streak (and six of its last seven) on Sunday with a 7-6 victory against the Baltimore Orioles. And although it isn't the cleanest game the Rays have played, it was a victory -- yippee -- after a string of defeats.
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Yeah, the Orioles are in last place...again.
Yeah, the Rays blew a 6-2 lead before winning.
Yeah, they gave up another unearned run, had another out on the bases and had their worst starting pitching performance in a week.
On the other hand, they won. Which, as they say, beats the alternative.
The Rays got a week's worth of offense -- seven runs and 14 hits -- in the win.They had four hits from Francisco Mejia, three from Yandy Diaz and a homer and a single from Ji Man-Choi.
"It felt good to win and good to score some runs," Rays' manager Kevin Cash said. "It's a funny game. We’ve pitched so well. I thought (Jeffrey Springs) grinded through it. He competed well. He looked a little more human, but I appreciated his effort."
The Rays offense had been sleepwalking for a week. This time, after falling behind 2-0, they were strong. Manuel Margot and Harold Ramirez each had two-run doubles, and Choi had a two-run homer. But another Tyler Walls error (his eighth) led to an unearned run to tie it.
The Rays struggled offensively after the fifth inning, getting just three hits -- two by Mejia and one by Choi -- in their last four team at-bats. But Choi's single, a walk by Diaz an a hit batter by Randy Arozarena loaded the bases in the ninth. Harold Ramirez flied out to right to get the run home.
The Rays and Orioles conclude their series today in a 1:35 p.m. game at Camden Yards. Corey Kluber will start for the Rays against Jordan Lyles.