Shane Baz gave the Orioles exactly the kind of start they expected when they committed big money to him, and Baltimore backed him with timely offense in a 6-1 win over the Rays at Camden Yards. The right-hander delivered a season-high nine strikeouts over seven innings, allowing one run as the Orioles handled a division rival that knows his game well.
The performance continued a sharp run for Baz, who has posted a 2.25 ERA across his last three starts and lowered his season ERA from 5.48 to 4.48 in that stretch. He also worked well against Tampa Bay last week, when he threw six innings of one-run ball in his previous outing against the club that traded him to Baltimore on Dec. 19.
Baz finds a rhythm against familiar hitters
Facing the Rays twice in six days did not appear to bother Baz, even though Tampa Bay built its identity around forcing mistakes and turning at-bats into pressure. He allowed only one early run, when Chandler Simpson doubled to start the game and scored on Jonathan Aranda’s single two batters later.
Baz did give up seven hits, but six were singles, and he avoided bigger damage by stranding seven runners. Tampa Bay finished 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, a sign that Baltimore kept escaping the key moments when the game could have swung.
The right-hander said his recent success has come from better preparation and a stronger feel with the staff around him. “I feel like we’ve kind of started putting together good game plans and stuff and just being a little bit more comfortable,” Baz said.
The curveball stood out again
Baz generated 10 whiffs in 99 pitches, with 69 strikes, and his knuckle curve drew particular attention from both dugouts. He threw the pitch 37 times, the same number as his four-seam fastball, and six of his 10 whiffs came on the breaking ball.
Rays second baseman Richie Palacios said, “He’s spamming that curveball,” while designated hitter Yandy Díaz called it “his best pitch.” Manager Kevin Cash also noted that the pitch looked sharper than it did in Tampa Bay last week, saying it “might have been a little bit better today, a little bit firmer.”
Baz finished strong by retiring eight of the last nine batters he faced, which gave Baltimore a stable platform after a fast start by Tampa Bay. Manager Craig Albernaz also pointed to the increased use of Baz’s changeup, which he threw nine times.
Baltimore keeps pressure on Tampa Bay
The Orioles took control by scoring three runs in the second and three more in the fifth, taking advantage of Tampa Bay mistakes that proved costly. All six Baltimore runs were unearned, and the Rays committed three errors in the game after making several more defensive mistakes earlier in the series.
The decisive swing came when Samuel Basallo launched a three-run homer in the fifth inning to make it 6-1. The home run was the eighth of the season for the 21-year-old catcher and widened the gap after Baltimore had already built momentum from a productive middle inning.
Basallo has seen the change in Baz up close and said the right-hander looks more like the pitcher the Orioles believed they were getting. “I think what we’re seeing is that Shane learned from those bad outings,” Basallo said through team interpreter Brandon Quinones. “And I think, right now, we’re seeing the pitcher that we all know Shane can be.”
Baltimore’s confidence has grown during a season-long 10-game homestand, where the club has won four of its first five games. The Orioles also had a chance to respond after being swept in three games at Tropicana Field last week, and this win gave them a chance to push for a series sweep of their own on Wednesday night.
The result mattered beyond one night because it extended a stretch in which Baltimore has started to look more stable after several strong wins were followed by letdowns earlier in the season. After Monday’s 9-7, 13-inning walk-off victory over Tampa Bay, the Orioles carried that energy into another strong showing, and Basallo said the group wants to keep that effort going by “playing hard” and “playing the right way.”
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