ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — No player in the Rays lineup can quicken the pulse as fast as Randy Arozarena, who bashed two more home runs Wednesday against the Orioles.
They were thundering, majestic big flies ― three in two days and seven of his 13 homers this season have come against the lowly Orioles.
Though a small sample size, it conjures up memories of his postseason barrage last October and only makes the mind wander about what is possible in the final two months of the year.
But it was his perfectly placed single in the ninth that continued a rally for the Rays.
Austin Meadows walked it off by delivering a two-run, two-out single with the bases loaded in a 5-4 win. It was the first walk-off hit of Meadows’ major league career.
The Rays loaded the bases with one out in the ninth off Orioles reliever Tanner Scott. Francisco Mejia led off with a single. After pinch-hitter Yandy Diaz struck out, Mike Zunino drew a walk and Arozarena flared a single that went off the glove of first baseman Ryan Mountcastle.
Vidal Brujan struck out before Meadows delivered.
In winning the series over the Orioles, the Rays improved to 57-39. They will begin a four-game series against Cleveland Thursday.
Rays starter Michael Wacha survived five innings. He allowed three runs on back-to- back doubles to start the game and later was touched for home runs by Pat Valaika and Mountcastle.
Batting leadoff, Arozarena hit the second pitch he saw in the game for a towering home run to left field. In the second, the Rays took a 2-1 lead when Joey Wendle tripled home Mejia, who had singled to lead off the inning.
But Wacha had trouble holding the baseball within the confines of Tropicana Field.
Mountcastle’s homer to start the fourth inning gave the Orioles a 3-2 lead. Arozarena tied it up again by leading off the fifth with a long blast to center field.
The Orioles made it 4-3 when Trey Mancini doubled off reliever Matt Wisler to start the sixth and scored on a single by Mountcastle.
Other than Arozarena and triples by Joey Wendle and Phillips, the Rays didn’t have much to show for some hard-hit balls Wednesday, especially off Orioles left-hander Alexander Wells, who was making his first major league start after two previous relief appearances.
Wells allowed three runs and five hits before leaving with two outs in the sixth inning.
