Who stood out in the Orioles’ 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night?
In the spirit of hockey’s “three stars” system with the addition of home plate for honorable mentions and other notes, we go around the bases after the 72nd game of the 2016 season.
1st — Chris Davis not only provided the go-ahead two-run single to right-center in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the first baseman also broke up Matt Moore’s perfect game with one out in the fifth and eventually scored the Orioles’ first run of the night on J.J. Hardy’s soft single to right. Davis moved into sole possession of 17th place on Baltimore’s all-time RBI list with 469, surpassing Miguel Tejada.
2nd — Adam Jones started the Orioles’ deciding four-run rally in the sixth with his 14th home run of the season to narrow the deficit to one against Moore and the Rays. After homering just once in his first 26 games of the season, the veteran center fielder has hit 13 over his last 42 contests and five in his last 11 games.
3rd — Manny Machado put an exclamation point on the Orioles’ offensive awakening with a home run to right in the bottom of the eighth. It was his 18th long ball of the season and his second hit of the night as he also singled and scored in the pivotal sixth inning.
Home — Yovani Gallardo got off to a miserable start by allowing three earned runs, three extra-base hits, and two walks in the opening inning, but the right-hander didn’t allow any runs after that and managed to complete 5 1/3 innings to keep the Orioles in the game and save the bullpen from working an incredible amount. … Rookie Ashur Tolliver earned his first major league win after tossing 2/3 inning with one hit and one walk allowed. … Asked to protect a 5-3 lead in the seventh, Odrisamer Despaigne pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout. … Baltimore improved to 28-5 in games in which Brad Brach has pitched this season after the right-hander tossed a scoreless eighth to lower his season ERA to 1.08. … Zach Britton converted his 22nd save in as many tries to continue his terrific season. … Friday marked the Orioles’ 23rd comeback victory of the 2016 season. … Kevin Gausman takes the hill for Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader while Tampa Bay gives the ball to right-hander Matt Andriese. Chris Tillman is scheduled to start the nightcap against fellow righty Jake Odorizzi.
