Martinez twirls six innings of one-hit ball, carrying Rays to much-needed win

BALTIMORE -- The Rays got everything they needed Sunday afternoon at Camden Yards.

A spectacular start from Nick Martinez. A two-out rally fueled by three two-strike hits from the top of their lineup. Nine big outs from their bullpen. A break from a rough stretch in which they lost seven of their past nine games and three straight series.

And above all, a win.

Martinez shut down the Orioles for six innings, and the Rays finally broke through with a three-run sixth inning that proved to be enough in a 3-1 victory in the series finale. Tampa Bay avoided a three-game sweep and maintained a three-game lead in the American League East before heading to Detroit.

“Every game counts. Every game matters,” third baseman Junior Caminero said through interpreter Kevin Vera. “Winning today to kind of give us strong momentum toward the end of this road [trip] against Detroit and, again, just get us on the right track, it was super important.”

The Orioles had won eight of their past nine matchups against the Rays entering Sunday’s game, and they got a strong start from former Ray Shane Baz in the finale. Baz breezed into the sixth inning having allowed only two hits, both singles that were erased on the basepaths, and two walks.

But Martinez was even better as he retired 18 of the 19 batters he faced. The right-hander permitted just one hit, a one-out double by Colton Cowser in the third inning, and struck out four in the Rays’ first quality start since Ian Seymour allowed three runs in six innings on Aug. 15.

“Every time Martinez pitches for us, he brings a ton of energy, and we all rally behind him,” DH Yandy Díaz added through Vera. “He's done a great job all year, so it's not surprising what he was able to do today. Again, he just pushed us forward to the win.”

Martinez has been the Rays’ steady veteran presence all season, and he preached positivity and perspective throughout the club’s recent slide. He shared part of his message to the team on Saturday afternoon.

“At this time of year, and looking at our schedule, we're facing a lot of guys whose backs are up against the wall, right?” Martinez said. “They have to win every game for them to make it to the playoffs, so we’ve just got to match the energy, bring the energy and keep playing to win ballgames.

“Keep doing what the game's asking us to do and playing our style, and things will turn around. Obviously you want to be winning every game you can, but the most important games are still in front of us.”

Of course, it’s one thing to say the right words, as Martinez has seemed to do all season. It’s another to live up to them on the field. And Martinez has done that at every turn since joining the Rays, too, going 13-4 with a 2.93 ERA that ranks fifth among qualified AL starters.

“It makes it a little bit easier, right? When you try to get the boys going, and then you follow that up with a good outing,” Martinez said. “Hopefully it creates some momentum for us going forward.”

Martinez said he entered Sunday’s start with a good mindset and conviction behind all his pitches. He allowed only five hard-hit balls, stranded the only baserunner he allowed thanks to a running, leaping catch by Jonny DeLuca and cruised through his outing on 86 pitches (60 strikes).

With a good mix of his three fastballs and changeups, the 36-year-old kept Baltimore’s surging offense off-balance all day. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said Martinez paired his pitches particularly well, making it difficult to square him up.

“Overall, he was just excellent for us,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We needed a big start, obviously, for the obvious reasons, and Nick provided that.”

With Martinez dealing, the Rays just needed one rally at the plate. They got it in the sixth.

With two outs, Díaz slapped a two-strike single to right field and hustled to third on another hit by Jonathan Aranda. With Caminero batting, Baz bounced a two-strike curveball in the other batter’s box that caromed off catcher Samuel Basallo’s mask and rolled away. Díaz dashed home to score the game’s first run.

Aranda advanced to second base on the wild pitch, putting him in position to score when Caminero pushed a single into center field. After Liam Hicks worked a walk, the fourth straight batter to reach against Baz, Chandler Simpson smacked another two-strike single to center off lefty reliever Grant Wolfram.

“A bunch of guys played a role in that inning,” Cash said. “I don't think we're firing on all cylinders right now, but you'll take it however you can get it.”