ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There were a lot of good things for the Rays on Sunday, as they beat the Orioles 7-5 in the last game before the All-Star break.
Randy Arozarena hit his second homer in two days, and Brett Phillips his first in two months. Corey Kluber pitched six solid innings. Brandon Lowe rapped four hits. Reliever Pete Fairbanks made his season debut after an extended injury absence.
And they got to the break with a 51-41 record and the top spot in the American League wild-card race.
But, as has been the case much of this season, there was also some bad. And some pain.
Harold Ramirez, one of the Rays’ most productive hitters, broke his right thumb when hit by a pitch in the first inning and will be out at least three to four weeks.
The Rays, who have won 11 of their past 16 games, got off to a quick start Sunday.
After Ramirez was hit by a 91-mph fastball from Jordan Lyles with one out in the first, Arozarena two pitches later drove a ball over the centerfield fence for a 2-0 lead.
The Rays extended the lead to 3-0 on a two-out RBI double by Josh Lowe in the second inning, and to 6-0 in the third when Phillips hit a three-run homer, his first since May 17. Francisco Mejia homered in the sixth for the Rays’ other run.
The Orioles kept putting pressure on the Rays, getting to within 7-5 in the eighth when Austin Hays homered on the first pitch from Fairbanks, who was sidelined since a spring training lat strain.
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