Field Level Media
May 27, 2018
Brad Miller homered in the first and added a two-run double during a six-run third inning as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 8-3 on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field.
The Rays went with a bullpen starter for the third straight day - right-hander Sergio Romo for the second time in this series. He started Friday night and couldn't make it out of the first inning and took the loss.
He couldn't make it out of the first inning in this game either and gave up three runs in just one-third of an inning. However, the Tampa Bay offense got him off the hook, rallying for eight straight runs after Baltimore took a 3-0 lead.
The Rays went all bullpen in this game, as they've done at times this season, in an attempt to help their injury-depleted and young starting staff.
Vidal Nuno (1-0), who pitched for Baltimore for part of last year, got the win thanks to three scoreless innings of relief after coming on for Romo in the first inning.
Austin Pruitt finished the game with 5 2/3 innings of shutout relief. He earned his first save of the season.
The Orioles scored three in that first thanks to a Chris Davis sacrifice fly, a Chance Sisco bases-loaded walk and Craig Gentry's bases-loaded bunt single. Gentry dropped a perfect bunt down the third-base line and just beat Nuno's throw for a 3-0 lead.
Miller (three RBI) then led off the first with that homer that made it 3-1, but the Rays turned everything around in the third - knocking starter Kevin Gausman (3-4) out in the process.
Miller struck again in that inning as his two-run double tied the game. Joey Wendle added a one-out RBI single that made it 4-3, and Mallex Smith's slow groundout pushed another run across.
Two batters later, Christian Arroyo singled to right. That drove in two more runs run for a 7-3 lead and ended Gausman's day. He gave up seven runs on six hits in just 2 2/3 innings.
Carlos Gomez then added a solo homer in the seventh that made it 8-3.
--Field Level Media