Rays take final swings at Orioles in 12-8 win (updated)

The Orioles won't have the Rays to kick them around anymore.

Not this year, at least.

The schedule for the remainder of the season doesn't include another series between the teams, with the Rays' parting shot a 12-8 victory before an announced crowd of 8,353 at Camden Yards.

The three-game sweep, pretty much sealed by Joey Wendle's grand slam off Paul Fry in the seventh, left the Orioles 1-18 against the Rays and 0-9 in Baltimore. They've lost the last 12 games.

This is the club's first one-win season against a divisional opponent since going 1-11 against the Blue Jays in 1999 - when it lost the last 10 games. The Orioles went 78-84, finishing in fourth place and hiring Mike Hargrove to replace manager Ray Miller.

The 2021 Orioles are 40-89, victims of their 17th sweep and holders of much lower expectations.

Wendle had six RBIs, including a solo homer off Spenser Watkins in the sixth. Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer off former Orioles reliever Shawn Armstrong in the eighth after the club fell behind 12-6.

"They're extremely sound," Watkins said. "They take really good at-bats one through nine. There's really not a breather there. They have a plan and they stick to that plan."

Fry has allowed 17 earned runs and 19 total with 16 walks and four strikeouts in seven innings this month. He has a 34.76 ERA against the Rays this season with 18 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings to go with 15 walks.

The Orioles optioned Fry and Watkins to Triple-A Norfolk after the game. Left-hander Alexander Wells could be one of the replacements after arriving in Baltimore today. Zack Burdi also is with the club.

Ryan Mountcastle singled three times and homered in his first four at-bats, rewards finally coming for scalding the ball in the series. He cut the lead to 3-2 in the third with his 24th homer, tying Trey Mancini for third on the club's all-time rookie record.

Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr. (28) and Eddie Murray (27) are ahead of him.

Mountcastle was due for a few breaks, which included his infield single in the fifth inning. He came within a foot or so of a grand slam last night and was robbed in the series on shortstop Wander Franco's leaping catch and Wendle's diving stop and throw.

Exceptional exit velocities did nothing for his other stats.

"It was definitely a good feeling to see a couple of them fall today," he said.

Mountcastle is 22-for-63 (.349) this month with five doubles, seven home runs and 14 RBIs.

"That first month was definitely rough, but I think a lot of players go through it," he said. "I'm pretty proud of how I've handled it and come back pretty strong in the second half of the year."

"He's swinging the bat great," said manager Brandon Hyde. "Love to see him going opposite-field home runs. I've said that a bunch.

"Mounty's got a ton of ability and he's going to be a good player in this league, and he's showing his power right now."

Jorge Mateo hit a two-run homer off Josh Fleming in the sixth inning, his third in the majors and first with the Orioles, to slice the lead to 6-4. But Randy Arozarena singled off Fry with one out in the seventh, the next two batters walked and Wendle raised the left-hander's ERA to 6.08.

Watkins rolled into the top of sixth and didn't get an out. He retired 12 in a row before Franco's leadoff single, and Austin Meadows followed with a home run to stretch the lead to 5-2. Wendle reached the flag court on the next pitch and Jorge López replaced Watkins.

Franco extended his on-base streak to 29 games, the sixth-longest in history for players 20 and younger and second-longest in the American League behind Mickey Mantle's 36.

"The game plan going into the game, we had an idea how to attack them and where my strengths are and capitalizing on that, and I thought I did a really good job of that early on," Watkins said. "Tried to catch a rhythm, getting that first inning out of the way. Caught some rhythm, executed what I wanted to, where I wanted to with the plan we had. Just getting back to me. Where have I been successful and what was I doing earlier on in the season that was really working? So, we got back to that and just executed early on."

Tampa Bay led just two batters into the game after Brandon Lowe doubled and Arozarena singled. Arozarena hit the go-ahead two-run homer last night in the eighth inning, and his single today off Fry in the seventh made him 26-for-57 (.456) in 13 games against the Orioles, his RBI total increasing to 19.

Arozarena stole second base and scored with two outs on Wendle's bloop single into center field. Mike Zunino walked before Watkins got out of the inning at 25 pitches.

Jordan Luplow led off the second inning by homering off the left field foul pole, but Watkins suddenly began to cruise. Ground ball, popup, strikeout, popup, fly ball, three grounders, two strikeouts, ground ball and fly ball. But Franco's line drive into left field loosened the wheels, and they came off with Meadows and Wendle at the plate.

"His stuff in those three innings looked more like he did in his first couple starts when he was with us," Hyde said.

Orioles starters have worked into the sixth inning in the last four games, beginning with Keegan Akin on Thursday. Akin went a career-high seven, followed by Matt Harvey with six and John Means with 6 1/3.

Watkins was charged with six runs and seven hits in five-plus innings, walking one batter and striking out four. He's allowed 36 runs and 49 hits in his last seven starts covering 30 2/3 innings for a 10.57 ERA.

"It isn't easy, it's tough," Watkins said. "Everybody wants to win, especially as a competitor. You want to go out and win, and consistently not doing that takes a toll. This is where the mental preparation and trusting myself comes into play. So, that's what I've had to do, and I've had a good surrounding cast with our pitching staff, our pitching coaches, catchers, everybody from top to bottom to kind of lead me through it. This is my first taste of the big leagues and I'm learning a lot going through the ups, the downs, just learning how to advance each week. How do I get better each week?"

Mountcastle scored in the first inning on Austin Hays' single off Chris Archer, which followed DJ Stewart's 41st walk of the season - three behind Mullins. Hays had seven hits in his last 10 at-bats, with five RBIs.

Archer was making his fourth appearance since returning to the Rays and only his second since April. He hadn't gone more than 2 1/3 innings but completed four and left with a 3-2 lead.

JT Chargois replaced Archer in the fifth and gave up back-to-back singles to Mountcastle and Mancini with two outs. They combined for seven hits today.

Stewart struck out to end the threat. He isn't expected to be in the lineup for the upcoming three-game series against the Blue Jays, who are starting left-handers Robbie Ray, Hyun Jin Ryu and Steven Matz.

Fleming began the seventh by allowing consecutive singles to Mullins, Mountcastle and Mancini, the latter scoring a run. Stewart had an RBI grounder to leave the Orioles behind 10-6.

Armstrong hit pinch-hitter Ramón Urías with two outs to load the bases and struck out Kelvin Gutiérrez. Franco had a two-out single off Conner Greene in the eighth that scored Luplow, and Kiermaier followed him to the plate while the Orioles were slow to react - ruled a fielder's choice, with Franco thrown out at second base.

López tossed a scoreless inning after replacing Watkins, giving him four since moving to the bullpen.

The Rays scored 10 or more runs against the Orioles in six games this season.

The four grand slams by the Rays this year are their most by an Orioles opponent in a single season.

"You want to go out there and win every day," Mountcastle said. "It's obviously a lot more fun when you win. But I've just got to keep working hard. We're all going to keep pounding away at the rest of season and hopefully get some more wins here down the stretch."