Rays take command, clamp down against Orioles

Jonathan Aranda smacked a two-run home run and Yandy Diaz had a three-run blast to support stellar pitching from Zack Littell in the Tampa Bay Rays’ 11-3 romp past the host Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.
Littell (7-7) avenged a June 17 home loss to Baltimore, striking out five and limiting the Orioles to three hits in seven innings.
Jake Mangum had three hits, while Josh Lowe, Diaz, Junior Caminero and Chandler Simpson all had two hits for the Rays, who’ve won four of their last five games. Matt Thais provided a two-run triple and Taylor Walls also knocked in two runs.
A day after blowing a 6-0 lead in a 22-8 loss Friday night, the Rays stayed in command in this game.
Chadwick Tromp’s two-out solo home run in the fifth inning broke up the shutout bid. Ramon Laureano added a two-run shot in the ninth.
Jackson Holliday had the other two hits — both singles — off Littell and three hits total
Orioles starter Zach Eflin (6-5) pitched just one inning, giving up four runs on five hits against his former team.
Joe Rock, making his major league debut, pitched the final two innings for Tampa Bay. He surrendered Laureano’s 10th homer of the year. Rock was scheduled to be the starting pitcher for Triple-A Durham, but instead was summoned to the major leagues after the Rays went through multiple pitchers Friday. Rock struck out four and gave up four hits.
Brandon Lowe drove in Tampa Bay’s first run with a single before Aranda homered for the second day in a row and the 10th time this season. Then Caminero and Mangum followed with singles and Simpson’s fielder’s choice grounder drove in a run to make it 4-0.
After the first of two Walls sacrifice flies, Diaz’s homer stretched the margin to 8-0 in the fourth.
Baltimore’s third hit came with Tromp’s first big-league home run since 2021.