Tampa native Pete Alonso has returned home in Baltimore Orioles colors and tormented his hometown club.
The slugging first baseman and his resurgent teammates will try to do what seemed unthinkable four days ago — a sweep of the best home club in the majors — on Monday night when they close their four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Alonso provided the tiebreaking hit on Sunday, stroking a two-run double into the left-field corner for a 3-1 lead that paved the way to a 10-2 rout.
The first-year Orioles player and former New York Mets star is 6-for-11 with a homer, a double and three RBIs thus far in the dome near where he honed his baseball talents in his youth.
“The guys in front of me did a great job getting on, and I’m just happy to come through there,” said Alonso, who also walked twice and was hit by a pitch. “It’s always fun playing well at home. … We’ve never counted ourselves out this year, and we’re just really excited that we’re playing good ball. What a time to do it.”
The O’s poured it on after that with a seven-run sixth.
After Steven Matz retired the first two in the frame, Baltimore, which ended Sunday in playoff position for the first time since April, sent nine batters to the plate with two outs.
The Orioles welcomed back Yohel Pozo (1-for-3, run, walk) to the lineup Sunday after the catcher injured his left index finger on Tuesday when a late swing from Minnesota’s Josh Bell hit his mitt.
Pozo was charged with catcher’s interference on the play, but the greater concern was the possibly fractured finger, especially considering the O’s had traded fan favorite Adley Rutschman within the American League East to the Boston Red Sox and starting catcher Samuel Basallo (right shoulder inflammation) has been on the injured list since July 22.
Right-hander Brandon Young (9-3, 3.33 ERA) will make his 21st start Monday in his first career appearance against Tampa Bay.
Rays manager Kevin Cash lifted starter Freddy Peralta with two outs in the fifth when Tampa Bay was ahead 1-0 but the O’s were threatening with runners on first and second via Peralta’s two walks.
The lefty-on-lefty matchup of reliever Garrett Cleavinger against Jackson Holliday backfired immediately as the second baseman hit a tying single. Cleavinger was forced to stay in, and Alonso responded with the go-ahead two-run double.
“I thought (Peralta) did a nice job for us,” Cash said. “Just felt in that moment that it was a really big at-bat. He had done his job. Very tough call. Certainly not happy or pleased with the way it worked out for him. You hate to see that happen. It’s gut-wrenching.”
Tampa Bay promoted hard-throwing right-hander Joe Boyle from Triple-A Durham on Saturday and optioned reliever Chris Roycroft.
Despite coming in with the contest well out of reach Sunday, Boyle, whose fastball frequently reaches 100 mph, saved the bullpen by closing the blowout with 3 1/3 innings pitched over which he allowed two runs on two hits.
Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.09) returns Monday from a stint on the 15-day injured list due to back tightness.
The left-hander is a perfect 7-0 with a 2.97 ERA in 11 career starts against the O’s.
The Orioles have won the past six games in the season series to lead 6-3. The teams will meet again in a three-game series this weekend in Baltimore.
–Field Level Media
