Sunday, 4 a.m.
Luke Bard got a gift Saturday night. A get-out-of-jail-free card. A gimmie out to start the 11th inning.
And then he blew up anyway.
On a day the Rays refused to take advantage of their opportunities, Bard gave up a two-out, two-strike, two-run single to right field to allow the Baltimore Orioles to escape with a 6-4 extra-inning victory Saturday afternoon.
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Going into the 11th inning, with Rougned Odor on second as the ghost runner, Jorge Mateo missed on a bunt attempt. However,, Rays' catcher Christian Bethancourt threw behind him, and Odor was out at third.
It's a Hail Mary play, and it should have highlighted a successful inning for Bard.
But Bard gave up a triple to Mateo, a walk to Cedric Mullins and, with a 1-2 count, a single to right by Ryan Mountcastle. It snapped a five-game winning streak for the Rays.
"Bard’s command wasn’t quite as crisp," Cash said. "He kind of settled in and grinded through it. He was one pitch away an Mountcastle got enough of it to get it between Ji-man (Choi) and Josh (Lowe) in right."
It wasn't just the pitching that didn't seize the moment, however. The Rays were two-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. In the eighth, with runners on first and second and one out, Randy Arozarena was out trying to steal third.
Baltimore has now won 11 of its last 12 games.
The Rays and Orioles play again today at 1:40 p.m. at Tropicana Field. Corey Kluber will start for the Rays against Jordan Lyles.