Good teams find ways to win. And even though Rich Hill lost his command in the fifth inning of Saturday’s contest, resulting in a grand slam, the Tampa Bay Rays’ bullpen came up big and held the Baltimore Orioles scoreless for the remainder of the game. Because of it, the Rays enter the series finale this afternoon, 17 games over .500 for the first time this season, and with a two-game lead over the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. They also boast the best record in baseball.
Tampa Bay is 22-5 over the last 27 games and is 5-0 against the Orioles who have lost a franchise-record 14 consecutive road games.
Rich Hill allowed four runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five across 4-2/3 innings on Saturday. The veteran southpaw came into the contest having yielded two runs or fewer in eight consecutive outings, but that streak came to an end when Austin Wynns hit a grand slam in the fifth inning. Hill was actually quite good in the front four innings, allowing just two hits while collecting all his punchies, yet the wheels fell off in the fifth when he issued a pair of walks and gave up a single prior to the homer. It was his shortest since May 2. Even so, Hill maintains a solid 3.38 ERA on the season.
From there, Tampa Bay received 4-1/3 scoreless innings from the ‘pen, lowering the team’s combined reliever ERA to 3.13 — the best in the American League.
The New What Next
Michael Wacha (1-1, 4.54 ERA) opens in front of Josh Fleming (5-4, 3.44 ERA) on Sunday. They’ll pitch opposite of Bruce Zimmerman (4-3, 4.83 ERA).
Michael Wacha tossed 2-2/3 innings of one-run ball, surrendering two hits and two walks while striking out one against the Rangers. Wacha got the start in what ended up being a bullpen game for Tampa Bay and looked effective, although he wasn’t asked to pitch deep into the contest. The right-hander continues to work out of the ‘pen, or as an opener, since returning from the Injured List in late May … that role is not expected to change moving forward. Wacha has given up one run or fewer in three of his last four appearances.
Josh Fleming coughed up five runs on 10 hits over seven innings on Friday against the Rangers. He struck out two without walking a batter. The left-hander wasn’t hit particularly hard, as only two of the 10 hits went for extra bases, including a Joey Gallo solo shot in the fifth inning. Even so, Fleming boasts a 3.44 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 2.5 K/BB across 52-1/3 innings on the season.
Bruce Zimmermann allowed two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over 5-1/3 innings against the Twins on Tuesday. The 26-year-old set a season-high with seven strikeouts and has given up three runs across 10-1/3 innings with a 4.33 K/BB in his past two starts. Zimmermann has a 4.96 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 2.87 K/BB over 49 innings (10 starts) on the season. He relies primarily on an 85 mph slider with 12-6 movement and an 89 mph worm-killer sinker with natural sinking action, while also mixing in an 89 mph four-seam fastball, a whiffy 84 mph circle changeup, and an 80 mph curveball with 12-6 movement. Zimmermann is 0-0 with a 15.00 ERA in one career start (three innings) against the Rays. Key Matchup: Joey Wendle (1-1)
You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.
Rays 6/13/21 Starting Lineup
- Margot RF
- Díaz 1B
- Brosseau 2B
- Arozarena DH
- Lowe LF
- Mejía C
- Wendle 3B
- Walls SS
- Phillips CF
- Wacha RHP
Noteworthiness
— Since returning from the IL, Collin McHugh has been dominant for Tampa Bay, allowing 1 run over 18 innings of work. All told, he has allowed 10 hits, six walks, and punched out 31 (of 69 batters, a 44.9% K%) as an opener and multi-inning bridge reliever.
— 1B/DH Ji-Man Choi (left groin strain) played in the second of two extended spring games with no issues from the injury that landed him on the IL. He could be activated this afternoon or, more likely, Monday, in Chicago.
— RHP Chris Archer (forearm tightness) threw 10 pitches off the mound for the first time and will continue to build up volume for the next two weeks before he starts facing hitters.
— RHP Chaz Roe (shoulder strain), out since an early-April, made his fourth rehab appearance on Friday for Triple-A Durham, striking out a pair in a nine-pitch, 1-2-3 frame.