The difference a week makes: Orioles sweep Rays as part of upswing

Look back one week ago against this same opponent and admire the difference — admire the rapid way in which the emotions around a baseball season can alter.

A week ago, at Tropicana Field, a late-game blowup meant the Orioles stumbled to a sweep and sat a season-low eight games below .500. On Wednesday, when Baltimore secured a dynamic 11-2 victory at Camden Yards, the Orioles closed out a sweep of those same Tampa Bay Rays.

All of a sudden, one week has led to a rosier outlook, supported by a vibrant offensive display, wizardry on defense and stout pitching. By sweeping the Rays (34-19) and taking two of three games against the Detroit Tigers this week, Baltimore has won five of its last six games and is four games below .500 (26-30).

“We’re a pretty, I’d say, fairly new locker room. A bunch of guys from different teams and stuff, and we’re finally starting to come together,” said utilityman Blaze Alexander, whose six RBIs were a career high. “I know fans don’t want to hear that, but patience, man, patience. I think we have a really good ball club, man, and we know that.”

The length of a baseball season lends itself to these sorts of swings. The truth of a team often is somewhere between their best and worst stretches, but until now, the Orioles have seldom mounted such a positive period of play. What this week has featured is the inverse of their doldrums.

“Our guys are a resilient bunch,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “They did a great job of turning the page and focus on the next day, and try to win that night’s game.”

The little things that weren’t executed — thus inhibiting Baltimore from finding consistency — are beginning to turn in the Orioles’ favor. And on top of the routine plays were a few standouts Wednesday that left mouths agape.

Shortstop Gunnar Henderson had enough of those moments himself in Wednesday’s win to fill a highlight reel. He homered twice, once as part of a five-run first inning, and pulled off a ridiculous out from deep in the hole at shortstop to strand the bases loaded. He ranged to his right, scooped the grounder and flung a strike to first baseman Pete Alonso off his back foot — one of the several strong defensive plays that helped right-hander Trey Gibson.

The Orioles turned three double plays behind Gibson, and they were a fraction away from a fourth. Had Baltimore turned that last one, Gibson would’ve escaped without a run against him. Instead, the rookie, who was making his third career appearance, left the mound with one run against him in 5 2/3 innings.

Albernaz held Gibson at the mound as the Camden Yards crowd built its ovation. Then he sent the 24-year-old to the dugout, a job well done.

“It’s a pretty cool moment,” Gibson said. “This past, like, month has been kind of really a roller coaster, so I’m just trying to stay where my feet are and just do my job.”

Gibson allowed six hits and walked four, but he worked around that traffic and the large run support allowed him to pitch freely.

Baltimore immediately jumped on left-hander Steven Matz with five runs in the first inning, with two of those from Henderson’s first long ball. Alexander also began a career night for himself with a two-run single.

Alexander’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot in the seventh, prodded the Orioles to a double-digit run tally. And one inning prior, Henderson’s solo blast marked his 13th homer of the year.

As Alexander scrolled on X recently, he saw lists from baseball accounts showing the qualified hitters without a home run. He joked that he feared seeing his name on there once he reached enough at-bats.

“Dude eventually I’m going to pop up on this list if I don’t get one,” he laughed. “I think I’m the only guy in here, I was the only guy in here, without a homer, I think. But yeah, definitely a monkey off my back.”

The offensive performances of late could be a lift for everyone. They’ve scored at least five runs in five of their last six games.

“I feel like we’ve been — like I’ve been saying — putting together good at-bats, and now, it’s just finally showing up," Henderson said. “We’re staying consistent with that, and I feel like the approaches have been good, top to bottom, and see we can put up a lot of runs in that way.”

Every Orioles starting player besides one recorded at least a hit, and Coby Mayo was on base enough to score three times. Adley Rutschman powered two doubles. The lineup kept chugging.

The only thing to dampen the performance was the top of the eighth, when right-hander Yennier Cano loaded the bases and then exited with right hamstring discomfort. He kicked a rosin bag and left the field with a trainer. After the game, Albernaz said Cano was getting “checked out” after his hamstring tightened.

But even that didn’t lead to an implosion of any kind. Right-hander Andrew Kittredge inherited bases loaded and a 3-0 count. He only allowed one run, when he dispatched a ball to the first batter. He struck out the next three to strand the Rays.

This was Baltimore’s most comprehensive offensive night this year, with a season-high 11 runs. The Orioles’ 16 hits were their second most this year. And while there is no telling whether this display — and the strong homestand overall — is an indication of what’s to come, this surge paints the Orioles in a better light.

“Any win in the big leagues is tough,” Albernaz said. “To get three from a really good team over there was really impressive for our guys.”

A week ago, this team was in dire shape.

On Wednesday, this team continued an upswing.

What a difference a week makes.