Eflin frustrates former team for seven innings in 4-1 win (updated)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Zach Eflin didn’t receive a prolonged ovation as he walked out of the visiting dugout tonight at Tropicana Field. Rays fans didn’t get sentimental. They didn’t blow the roof off the joint in tribute to the guy they used to cheer. All they had to offer was a smattering of boos and then silence.

Eflin preferred to keep them quiet anyway, tossing seven shutout innings in the Orioles’ 4-1 victory over the Rays before an announced crowd of 20,673 inflated by a “flappy boi” zip-up hoodie giveaway.

The veteran right-hander was stingy, with only four hits allowed, one walk and seven strikeouts that tied his season high. He’s made three starts with the Orioles and they’ve been quality, with a combined five runs in 19 1/3 innings.

His seven innings tonight also matched his season high.

"That’s so good right there," said manager Brandon Hyde. "A little extra motivation pitching against a team that you were just with, and he’s made three outstanding starts for us. That was textbook pitching. He was ahead in the count, great sinker-cutter, changeup. He just really knows how to pitch and he was locating well all night."

"It was kind of like an out-of-body experience," Eflin said. "Being with these guys -- what was it, like, 15 days ago? -- being in that clubhouse and then showing up and seeing all the workers I was friends with, seeing some of the guys on the team and the staff. I have so much respect for that clubhouse and everybody that works for this organization, so it was really cool to step on that mound again and be able to face them on the other side."

Colton Cowser hit his second career leadoff home run, Cedric Mullins launched a ball 426 feet to the devil rays tank, and the Orioles improved to 69-48 overall, 7-1 against Tampa Bay and 5-0 beneath the dome. They took a half-game lead over the Yankees and were on the verge of their eighth shutout before Dylan Carlson's leadoff homer off Yennier Cano in the ninth.

The Orioles have gone 37 consecutive division series without being swept, four more than the previous high in 1989-90.

“That was one of our most satisfying games in a while for me, just because the pitching we got and then the defense that we played," Hyde said. "I thought we played just really good baseball, baseball we played the first few months. Timely hits, really good defense, big plays defensively in good spots and outstanding pitching. That was fun to watch.”

Cowser saw three straight sliders from Zack Littell and jumped on a splitter to tie injured second baseman Jordan Westburg for third-most homers on the club behind Anthony Santander (34) and Gunnar Henderson (29). Cowser knew it was headed for the right field seats, taking a few steps toward first base before picking up the pace.

“Got off to a good start, yeah. Gave us a big boost there early," Hyde said, chuckling at Cowser's four strikeouts that followed.

"Love to score first. Go 1-0 there right away, that’s a huge boost for us.”

The 11 leadoff home runs by the Orioles are one short of the 1996 team record. Brady Anderson accounted for all of them.

The Orioles have scored 19 runs in the first inning since the break. They began tonight ranked second in the majors.

Littell threw 30 pitches in the inning and got a questionable called third strike on Jackson Holliday with two runners on base.

The lead stayed 1-0 until the fourth, when Ramón Urías and James McCann singled – the latter on a bouncer that second baseman Christopher Morel couldn’t barehand – Henderson drew a 10-pitch walk with two outs and Ryan O’Hearn dumped a two-run single into center field. Urías had advanced to third base on Anthony Santander’s 390-foot fly ball to center field before Henderson batted. O’Hearn swung at the first pitch he saw.

Mullins’ ball in the sixth, after left-hander Richard Lovelady replaced Littell, bounced off the tank’s netting and into center fielder Jose Siri’s bare hand. He tossed it to the crowd as Mullins rounded the bases with his 12^th home run.

The first hit off Eflin was Jonny DeLuca’s ground ball at 103.9 mph that shot past Urías with one out in the second. Gunnar Henderson raced to the left field line to make a sliding catch of José Caballero’s popup and Mullins ran down Taylor Walls’ fly ball in deep center.

Eflin struck out the side in the third inning and stranded Morel in the fourth and Taylor Walls in the fifth. He retired the side in order in the sixth, Caballero doubled with two outs in the seventh and Walls grounded out on Eflin’s 94^th pitch.

The large contingent of Orioles fans behind the dugout gave Eflin a standing ovation.

"He’s one of those, I say old school pitchers, in the sense that he’s pitching to both sides of the plate with all of his pitches," McCann said. "He’s pitching, he’s not gripping and ripping as hard as he can. And he has a really good idea of what he’s trying to do and he makes adjustments quickly. It’s a lot of fun to catch guys like that.”

McCann had lots of choices of which pitches to call.

“It’s like a video game," he said. "It’s a lot of fun. You figure out what’s working that night and you’re able to sequence pitches. You’re able to tunnel pitches. Your options are kind of endless when it comes to knowing what his strengths are and knowing what the hitter’s weaknesses are, and kind of combing them, and finding a way to sequence them to get guys out.”

Eflin is the fourth Orioles starter this season to toss seven scoreless innings, and he’s the only one still pitching for them. Cole Irvin is with Triple-A Norfolk and John Means and Kyle Bradish are on the 60-day injured list. Eflin also is only the third Oriole to win each of his first three starts, joining Kyle Gibson in 2023 and Jack Harshman in 1958.

"Every win feels as good as the last one that I had, so I don’t really focus on stuff like that," he said. "It’s a cool stat, but I try to go out there and be competitive every single game and try and do my best and staying in as long as possible.

“He’s just so unpredictable and he’s got such good command with all of (his pitches), and a ton of confidence," Hyde said. "I thought Mac did a great job. That’s three times now they’ve done a really good job together navigating through their order. Yeah, he just knows how to pitch.”

He also knows the area. Eflin is staying at his house for the series, which made the routine seem almost normal.

"Yeah, they gave me a parking spot, which is nice. A little visitor parking spot," he said. "But I got to fly in a little early yesterday and hold my babies. It’s been a good while since I’ve got to see my kids, so it was just amazing to be home and be with them. But yeah, a little different showing up in a car today and kind of walking through. This place holds a special place in my heart."

The boos didn't rattle Eflin and he knew why they existed, because of his comment upon arriving at Camden Yards comparing the atmospheres at Camden Yards and the more subdued Tropicana Field.

"I played parts of eight seasons in Philly, so I know what it’s like to be booed a little bit," he said.

"I assume it’s probably something that I said last outing. I always try to treat interviews like a conversation with you guys. I’m not trying to be a robot or anything. So I think what I said might have gotten taken out of context a little bit. That’s OK, it’s part of the game. It’s nice to be here in front of the fans again, and my old teammates. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the entire organization, front office staff, players, workers and fans here.

"I think if you look at the words that I said, it probably doesn’t sit well. If you hear the tone of how I said it, I don’t think it really comes off bad. It’s part of the game."

Seranthony Domínguez retired the side in order in the eighth and has allowed one run in eight innings with the Orioles.

Eloy Jiménez singled in the first and fourth innings to make him 6-for-7 lifetime against Littell before grounding into a force in the fifth. He singled again in the seventh and is 11-for-21 with the Orioles, who traded Norfolk left-hander Trey McGough to acquire him at the deadline.

* The Orioles traded right-hander Ryan Watson to the Giants for cash considerations.

Watson was the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2022. He had a combined 2.38 ERA and 0.971 WHIP this season in 17 games between Double-A Bowie and Norfolk.

* Nick Maton hit his 13^th home run for Norfolk. Justin Armbruester allowed two earned runs and three total in six innings, and he struck out seven batters.

Bowie shortstop Frederick Bencosme hit a grand slam in the second inning. John Rhodes doubled and hit his eighth homer.

Reed Trimble homered twice and singled in three at-bats for High-A Aberdeen. Adam Retzbach hit his seventh homer.