BALTIMORE (AP) — Joey Wendle homered twice, Rich Hill combined with his bullpen on a two-hitter and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-1 Thursday to extend their winning streak to seven games.
Tampa Bay outscored the Orioles 32-14 and out-hit them 43-22 during its first three-game sweep at Camden Yards since May 17-19, 2013. The Rays at 26-19 are seven games over .500 for the first time this year. They have hit 17 homers during the streak, their longest since winning eight in a row from Aug. 19-26, 2018, and have averaged nine runs per game during the spurt.
“Things are going our way,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “We’re making things happen, we’re getting really well-pitched ballgames. The offense has really, really come to life. We’ve got a lot to feel encouraged about.”
Baltimore has lost 10 of 12 and at 17-26 is a season-high nine games under .500. The Orioles fell to a majors-worst 6-18 at home.
“We have not played well the past couple weeks,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Our pitching is really beat up right now. We have to have starters go longer.”
Hill (3-1) extended his scoreless streak to 20 2/3 innings before major leagues RBIs leader Trey Mancini homered leading off the fourth. Hill allowed one run and two hits in six innings with four strikeouts, earning victories in consecutive starts for the first time since winning three in a row in June 2019. He has lowered his ERA from 8.82 to 3.89 over his last five starts.
Trevor Richards struck out two in a perfect seventh, and Louis Head pitched two hitless innings around a pair of leadoff walks and a hit batter.
Baltimore starter Dean Kremer (0-4) gave up four runs, five hits and four walks in three innings.
“They’re a pretty hot team, as you can see,” Kremer said. “They’re swinging…
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