A three-run third inning was enough for the Baltimore Orioles Saturday night, as they took the second game of their home stand against the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 4-0. For the first time since Opening Day, Chris Archer allowed an earned run in a rough outing void of his best stuff.
Archer, who previous to Saturday night hadn’t allowed an earned run in 26-2/3 innings, was uncharacteristically wild in six innings of work, walking four hitters overall, and allowing four runs to cross the plate. Archer walked two batters in the second before the three-run third.
Manny Machado walked with one out, and then Jimmy Paredes followed with a single to center field after fouling off a couple of tough two-strike pitches. Adam Jones was able to advance Machado to third on a deeply hit fly ball out to center, then Chris Davis singled hard to left-field that plated a run and snapped Archer’s scoreless streak at 29-1/3 innings. Steve Pearce capped the uprising with a two-run double to right-center.
The game remained 3-0 until the sixth, when Archer hung a slider that Caleb Joseph deposited deep in the left-field seats. It was the first homer surrendered since Opening Day. Archer departed after allowing six hits and four walks over six innings, while striking out five. He has allowed three homers this year — all against Baltimore.
BA was quick to remind that when Archer misses up in the zone, he doesn’t have his best stuff — that was the case last night. The culprit of his outing was two-fold: an inconsistent release point and the inability to make mid-game adjustments. Archer wasn’t pleased with his performance:
I’m not happy by any means, but it could have been a lot worse.
The de facto ace put things into perspective following the game:
You’re looking at the results, but in the moment, I felt confident, comfortable and convicted, and in years past I haven’t. I think I was able to limit the damage as much as I did without my best stuff because of where I was at mentally — still trusting the hard work and what I’ve been able to accomplish so far this season.
Ernesto Frieri came on to work a 1-2-3 seventh, and Xavier Cedeno put up a zero in the eighth. Don’t look now, but Frieri hasn’t allowed a run since April 17th when he gave up a pair, thanks in part to a homer against the Yankees. Since that errant pitch, the right handed reliever has scattered two hits and two walks, and culled an impressive 100% LOB.
Miguel Gonzalez, who posted an excellent 2.48 ERA at Tropicana Field prior to Saturday’s start, was terrific. He scattered just four hits and one walk over 7-2/3 scoreless innings, striking out six. He did not allow multiple runners to reach until the eighth when Brad Brach finished the frame for him. Brach also got the final three outs in the ninth. Logan Forsythe was the one bright spot for Tampa Bay, going 2-3 with a double.
Per Marc Topkin, the Rays were shut out for the AL-most-matching third time and went homeless for the fifth straight game.
The New What Next
Nathan Karns will take the hill for the Rays in the getaway game, Sunday. Karns allowed six earned runs and five hits in 5-2/3 innings of work in his first start of the season. Orioles lefty Wei-Yin Chen will take the mound for Baltimore. Chen faced Tampa Bay once this year, going 4-1/3 innings and allowing three runs. You can read about the pitching match-up in our series preview.
Rays 5/3/15 Starting Lineup
Guyer LF
Souza RF
Forsythe 2B
Longoria 3B
Butler DH
Loney 1B
Beckham SS
Kiermaier CF
Rivera C
Karns RHP
Noteworthiness
— After much speculation, OF Desmond Jennings has been placed on the 15-day DL due to left knee bursitis. The move has been backdated to April 26 (the day after he last played), making him eligible to return May 11. is the 14th different Rays player to go on the DL this season. Former Cardinal and Rangers OF Joey Butler has been activated from Triple-A Durham and will wear number nine — previously worn by Wil Myers.
Butler, 29, was in Spring Training with Tampa Bay. He has brief big-time experience with the Rangers in 2013 and the Cardinals in 2014. He was hitting .317 with two homers and 15 RBI for Durham.
Incidentally the Rays had a spot to add Butler to 40-man roster (after designating Everett Teaford for assignment) but are now full following the acquisition of LHP Xavier Cedeno.
— Jake McGee is expected to move his rehabilitation assignment to Durham on Tuesday after throwing 22 pitches Friday in his second game for the Charlotte Stone Crabs. McGee, who averaged 94 in that outing, will make several more rehab appearances prior to his expected return in late May. Matt Moore told the Tampa Bay Times he was excited for the next big step in his rehab, throwing to hitters at the Trop on Sunday. Moore is aiming for a mid-June return. Nick Franklin is slated to start a rehab assignment Monday. Jose Dominguez is on the Durham DL due to shoulder soreness. He should be available May 9.