Pepiot's 11 Strikeouts Propel Rays to 7-1 Victory Over Orioles
Ryan Pepiot dominated the mound with a season-high 11 strikeouts, while Jake Mangum contributed significantly with three hits and three RBIs, guiding the Tampa Bay Rays to a 7-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
Pepiot (4-6), making his 15th start of the season, fell just one strikeout shy of his career best. He allowed four hits and one earned run during a 98-pitch outing, showcasing his ability to control the game.
In a notable moment, Forrest Whitley made his debut for the Rays in the ninth inning, retiring all three batters he faced and extending the bullpen's impressive scoreless streak to 16 2/3 innings.
The Rays have now won four consecutive games and boast a remarkable 19-6 record over their last 25 contests. Additionally, this victory marked their eighth straight win in series openers.
On the other hand, Baltimore, fresh off an 11-run performance against the Los Angeles Angels, faced only their fifth loss in 16 games.
Tampa Bay's offense was relentless, scoring in each of the first five innings. Notably, Josh Lowe hit his first career leadoff home run, setting the tone early. Brandon Lowe added to the lead with a two-run homer in the fourth inning, marking his 14th of the season and pushing the score to 5-1.
Mangum's contributions included two infield singles and a double, extending his hitting streak to five games. Over his last 15 games, he has maintained a .304 batting average with 14 RBIs.
Baltimore's starting pitcher Zach Eflin (6-3) struggled, surrendering 12 hits and seven earned runs across five innings.
Adley Rutschman managed to hit his eighth home run of the season in the fourth inning for the Orioles, but it was not enough to shift momentum.
Mangum's third hit, a standup double into the left-field corner, capped off the scoring at 7-1. This marked the 11th time in their last 25 games that the Rays have scored six or more runs.
Pepiot has been particularly effective at home, posting a 1.91 ERA over his last five starts with 29 strikeouts in 33 innings pitched.
The Rays will continue their homestand on Tuesday as they face off against Baltimore again, with RHP Zack Littell (6-6, 3.84 ERA) set to pitch against Orioles RHP Dean Kremer (5-7, 4.99).
