Rays 6, O's 8: The (im)perfect 10

The Rays decided that not scoring was un-fun, and set out to change that right-quick in game 2 of the doubleheader. In the 1st, Rays got the offense started with a 2B past a diving Joey Rickard from Logan Forsythe, a bloop single from Corey "Big Bloopin" Dickerson, followed up by a well struck RBI single from LoMo.  Of course the inning would end with a double play hit into by Brad Miller, but you take what you can get when you lose 9 in a row.

The Rays offense wasn't done (been awhile since anybody said that), and in the 2nd a HR from Hamerin' Hank Conger (nobody calls him that) extended the Rays lead to 2-0.

Another inning, more runs scored for the Rays. Desmond Jennings would drive home the first run with an opposite field double, and then a bases loaded walk to Walkin' Hank Conger added two more to the tally.

Up next Jaff Decker would flirt with breaking the game open, sending a ball into the right-center gap. However, Adam Jones would make the diving catch, saving at least 3 runs. Poor Jaffy Taffy.

O's would get their offense started in the bottom of the 3rd with a bloop. If you are unaware, Arcia's known for hitting bombs, striking-out a ton, and playing terrible defense in the outfield. He hasn't done the first two yet, but he had his Rays debut of the third, playing a bloop single into a double. Joey Rickard would knock in the run with a mistake high curveball.

The Rays would of course get a clutch double-play but drop a pop-up to the catcher, equalling out the good with the terribad, and survive the inning only giving up 1.

O's longballs were working all night vs the Rays, especially against Odorizzi, as Matt Wieters and Adam Jones would send deep HRs to bring the Orioles closer.

LoMo and Brad Miller back-to-back doubles to answer right back, and Arcia would get his first RBI with the Rays to extend the Rays lead to 6-3.

It wouldn't be a 2016 Rays game without some super promising rallies ended in tremendously gut-wrenching fashion. In the 6th, the Rays would load the bases with just 1 out, thanks to a Forsythe single, Dickerson double, and Longo intentional walk. Up walked Logan Morrison aka LoMo aka LaunchMo. Well, the O's lefty McFarland was able to induce an inning ending, rally ending double-play.

Despite the Rays offense producing more hits and runs than they have in quite some time, the failed oportunities, double-plays, and missed chances just continue to haunt this team all season. Just doing even the simplest things have seemed to be a struggle this year.

Of course, Baltimore just rubs salt into that wound in the very next inning, with the very next batter Chris Davis. Davis would launch another HR off Odorizzi, chasing Odor from the game and narrowing the lead once again.

Jake Odorizzi would go 99 pitches in 5 innings of work, giving up 8 hits, 5 runs, and 3 HRs. Odorizzi pitched better in some ways than his final line suggests, but this was another weak starting pitching performance from a Rays rotation that should pitch much better.

The slow collapse of that early lead would finally happen in the 7th, with an Adam Jones RBI single to drive in Joey Rickard.

Chris Davis would give the O's a 7-6 lead, finding a hole through the shift (because of course he did).

Of course Matt Wieters and Baltimore would add another huge HR to extend their lead off of the freshly called up Danny Farquhar.

The Rays would have a couple of chances in the 8th and briefly in the 9th, but no real threat to score. Ten loses in a row. July can't get here fast enough.