Sunday, 4 a.m.
Funny game, baseball. Different day, different pitcher. Different bully, different result.
Ask the Tampa Bay Rays. On Friday, they were hammered by the Baltimore Orioles. On Saturday, they were the ones who did the pounding.
One night after giving up a franchise-worst 22 runs, the Rays ran away in an 11-3 victory over the Orioles. Different game, different clobbering.
Tampa Bay had four-run innings in the first and fourth innings, taking a 9-0 lead and coasting. The Orioles, who battered starter Ryan Pepiot on Friday, were flustered by Zack Littell. Littell threw seven innings and allowed just three hits and a run in evening his record at 7-7.
Jonathan Aranda hit a two-run homer (his 10th) in the first, and Yandy Diaz hit one (his 13th). Matt Thais had a two-run triple in the 7th.
Jake Mangum had three hits. Josh Lowe, Diaz, Junior Caminero and Chandler Simpson all had two hits.
The Rays pulled back to within a half-game of the Yankees, who lost 7-0 to Oakland.
The Rays and Orioles, who have combined for 44 runs in the first two games, finish their series today at 1:35 p.m. at Camden Yards. Taj Bradley will start for the Rays against Dean Kremer.