Rays 7, Orioles 2: Swept the series!

With the series win secured, the Rays are looking to try and complete the sweep in the afternoon finale against the Orioles. Shane McClanahan is on the mound against Jorge Lopez.

McClanahan had a perfect first inning, striking out the side on 14 pitches. The Rays offense had an equally productive inning after Brandon Lowe got this going with a leadoff double. Wander Franco was hit by the first pitch he saw, and Nelson Cruz singled to load the bases for Austin Meadows. Meadows walked, plating the first Rays run of the day.

With still nobody out, Ji-Man Choi grounded into a double play but scored another run for the Rays to make it 2-0. Randy Arozarena struck out to end the inning. McClanahan struck out two more batters in the top of the second to bring his early K total to five.

Brett Phillips drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the second and was brought home on Brandon Lowe’s 29th home run on the season, making it 4-0 Rays.

A strikeout in the third inning for McClanahan brought his total to six, and two more in the fourth inning made it eight K’s in four innings of work.

The Rays loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth against new pitcher Fernando Abad. Francisco Mejia singled followed by Brett Phillips and Wander Franco drawing walks. Austin Meadows once again drew a walk to bring home a run, and Ji-Man Choi singled up the middle to make it 7-0.

McClanahan allowed his first run in the top of the fifth after a leadoff double from Ramon Urias preceded a Richie Martin RBI single.

McClanahan was replaced in the top of the sixth by Dietrich Enns. Five innings of work had McClanahan throw 79 pitches. He struck out eight and walked one and he allowed one run on five hits. Enns worked a scoreless inning, striking out two.

Enns stayed in for the seventh inning and struck out one in his second scoreless frame. The offense was slowed down in the later innings, not recording a single hit after the RBI single from Choi. Enns’ eighth inning was another scoreless frame, including his second strikeout on the day.

Adam Conley entered to close this game out. After recording the first two outs, he allowed a solo home run to Ramon Urias but struck out Jorge Mateo to end the game.

With today’s 7-2 victory over the O’s, the Rays completed the four-game sweep and keep the second-place Yankees five games behind. The Rays will play again tomorrow, welcoming the Chicago White Sox to Tropicana Field. Michael Wacha will take the mound against Lucas Giolito with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 pm.