Santander stays hot and in Game 2 lineup (O's down 1-0)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Anthony Santander is staying in the Orioles lineup tonight for Game 2 of the doubleheader against the Rays. And with good reason.

Santander extended his career-high hitting streak to eight games in the opener with the go-ahead home run in the sixth inning that propelled the Orioles to a 4-2 win.

During a scorching stretch of games, Santander has collected 15 hits in 33 at-bats for a .455 average with five homers and 12 RBIs. He's slashing .292/.328/.526 with 19 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs and 48 RBIs in 77 games.

He certainly appears to be part of the rebuild.

Santander has hit 13 home runs in his last 43 games since July 19, all of them starts, compared to four in his first 34 games.

Today marked the second time in Santander's career that he hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning or later. He also did it in the seventh on April 8, 2018 against the Yankees.

"I think I'm being very consistent in my work before the game in the cage," Santander said via translator Ramón Alarcón. "I'm also bringing that to the game."

Santander, who's in right field and batting third in the nightcap, produced an exit velocity of 112.9 mph with today's homer.

"For the moment, that's probably the hardest," he said. "Just very thankful for the opportunity."

The Orioles did a nice job bouncing back after yesterday's 10-inning loss.

"I always say that yesterday is part of history," Santander said. "We played hard all the way to the end. Today is a new day. We played hard today. We won, and we're looking forward to the second game."

The challenge also included a 2-0 deficit in the fourth on Travis d'Arnaud's two-run shot off Ty Blach. Rio Ruiz tied the game with a two-run homer in the fifth and Santander moved the Orioles in front for good.

"Nothing surprises me about this team," said manager Brandon Hyde. "I feel like we battle, we're in most games. Games that we lose it's because we're a pitch or two out of the 'pen or a hit or two away. But I just feel good that our guys come ready to play.

"We got down a couple runs early and it's a long day ahead of us and our guys continue to battle back and eventually took the lead and just did a great job."

The bullpen was instrumental in the win. Shawn Armstrong had two scoreless innings and Mychal Givens and Richard Bleier one each. Bleier retired the side in order in the ninth for the save.

Mark Trumbo's pinch-hit RBI double in the ninth padded the lead.

"The last few games we've had a tough time putting zeros up out of the 'pen in big spots and for those to ... Shawn Armstrong for a couple innings, Mike Givens in a tough spot against the tough part of their order, doing what he did and stranding a runner on second base, and then Richard," Hyde said.

"Obviously a huge tack-on run there in the top of the ninth with Mark's big double. I thought we threw the ball really well tonight."

Blach allowed two runs and two hits in five innings.

"Like I said before the game, it's all about changing speeds and he got through the order twice," Hyde said. "Only gave up that two-run homer. That was a tough decision, only giving up two hits. But he did his job going through the order twice and minimizing damage and really changed speeds well and kept the ball off the barrel.

"It was a really well-played overall game from our standpoint."

"I felt really good," said Blach, who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk earlier in the day. "Defense made a lot of really nice plays, turned a couple of big double plays for me. It was nice to be able to keep the ball down a little bit better and not let them leverage too many pitches."

The entire Rays lineup was composed of right-handed hitters against the lefty Blach.

His approach didn't change.

"My changeup's one of my better off-speed pitches, so being able to utilize that against the righties, it's a comfort thing for me," he said.

The bullpen brought more comfort by stranding runners in scoring position in the sixth, seventh and eighth.

"They were outstanding," Blach said. "Just to be able to see Armstrong come in, two strong innings, and then what Givens did there in the eighth, that was big time. And then Bleier shutting it down in the ninth. Those guys did a great job.

"Great team win. Swinging the bats, come back, after I give up the two-run homer, Rio hits the two-run homer right there and getting that next one there in top of the sixth, that's big time."

The Orioles beat a team today that's leading the wild card race and has lots to play for over the final month. It means a lot to the visiting side.

"For sure, especially with the season that we've had," Blach said. "It's been one of those years, but guys coming together. It's awesome to have everybody here in September and everybody pulling for each other. Really nice team win."

Gabriel Ynoa is the Game 2 starter for the Orioles.

For the Orioles
Jonathan Villar 2B
Mason Williams CF
Anthony Santander RF
Renato Núñez DH
Dwight Smith Jr. LF
Pedro Severino C
Rio Ruiz 3B
Chris Davis 1B
Richie Martin SS

Gabriel Ynoa RHP

For the Rays
Eric Sogard 2B
Tommy Pham DH
Austin Meadows LF
Travis d'Arnaud C
Ji-Man Choi 1B
Avisaíl García RF
Kevin Kiermaier CF
Willy Adames SS
Joey Wendle 3B

Andrew Kittredge RHP

Update: Austin Meadows homered in the fourth for a 1-0 lead.