ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ What the Rays needed more than anything Tuesday was for starter Tyler Glasnow to pitch deep into the game.
With their extensive list of pitching injuries creating holes in the rotation that put a taxing workload on an undermanned crew in the bullpen, they were hoping the right-hander could at least provide some relief by covering six or seven innings.
That Glasnow did so in a dazzling and dominating way made it all that much better in a 4-2 win over the Orioles.
That reliever Jalen Beeks had to leave the game during the ninth inning with another apparent arm injury took some of the good off the night. Edgar Garcia finished to become the ninth Rays pitcher to record a save this season.
Getting stronger as he went, Glasnow struck out a career-high 13, including nine of the last Orioles he faced. He became the first Rays starter to complete seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk, throwing 96 pitches with an impressive 72 for strikes in a showcase of his fastball and curve.
His only mistakes were a first-inning homer to Renato Nunez that just cleared the short fence down the leftfield line, then a three-single sequence in the fourth.
And Glasnow got some help from the American League's most prolific offense, as Hunter Renfroe and Manuel Margot _ acquired from San Diego during the offseason in separate deals _ launched back-to back homers in the second off Orioles lefty starter Tommy Milone.
With a man on, Renfroe struck first with a blast to left that Statcast measurements of 436 feet and an exit velocity of 112 mph seemed light. Then Margot followed with a shot measured at 417 feet and 105 mph.
The Rays added one run, but only one, when they loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and pinch-hitter Ji-Man Choi delivered a sac fly.
The win in the first game of the second half of the pandemic-abbreviated 60-game season improved the Rays to 20-11 and extended their American League East lead to one game over the Yankees, who were rained out in Atlanta. The Rays are a majors-best 14-3 in their last 17 games and 16-5 since Aug. 4.
The Rays were hoping for a long night from Glasnow, whom they felt had showed considerable improvement in his previous outing last Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.
He worked 5 2/3 innings in New York, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks, striking out eight while throwing a season-high-matching 88 pitches.
"I thought he looked totally like himself in New York and anticipate and expect he'll do the same thing (Tuesday)," manager Kevin Cash said before the game. "We're going to need him to. We've got to get some starters going deeper in ballgames for us and let us relax the bullpen. We're trying to piece it together.
Glasnow said going into the start against the Orioles he felt like he was ready to pitch well again. "I think a lot of it is that success breeds confidence in a way," he said. "So even going last game and feeling pretty well, I think that adds to the rhythm of everything."
The Rays needed it.
For an example, and verbatim at that, of the state of the Rays' injuries-depleted pitching staff, here is what Cash said when asked Tuesday afternoon about their plans for how they'll cover Wednesday's game against the Orioles.
"We have no idea," Cash said. "I have no idea what we're going to do tomorrow. We've got to get through tonight. We're talking through the bullpen (availability) after the games, into the evenings, earlier in the days.
"So it's just like, who is available? Who is not pitching the night before? And then we'll make a decision off that."
Lots of decisions actually, as Wednesday is shaping up as what's known as a bullpen day, meaning it will be a group effort.
And they wouldn't know who's available to be considered until after they see who they had to use on Tuesday.
And once they determine who is available they will sort out how best to use them, whether to employ an opener to work the first inning or two, or designate a "starter" and see if they can cover three or four innings.
Trevor Richards is one option for the Rays, having worked three innings on Thursday, though needing 76 pitches to do so. Another could be Aaron Slegers, who worked an impressive four no-hit innings on Saturday in 58 pitches, though would be pitching on three days' rest.
The Rays are in this predicament because of a rash of injuries to their pitching staff, with nine key pitchers sidelined, and an unforgiving stretch of their schedule, in the midst of playing a season-high 16 consecutive days.
Two of the injured are starters, with Yonny Chirinos out for season after having Tommy John elbow surgery Tuesday and Charlie Morton working his way back from shoulder inflammation. Another is their top rotation replacement, Brendan McKay who is also out for the season after shoulder surgery.
After trying mixing and matching to fill both spots, the Rays called up lefty Josh Fleming to start Sunday, and after an impressive major-league debut he will stay in the rotation and pitch next on Friday in Miami against the Marlins.
The other three starters at the moment are Ryan Yarbrough, Blake Snell and Glasnow.
