Ryan Pepiot's 11 strikeouts led the Rays to a 7-1 win over the Orioles on June 17, 2025. Dean Kremer took the loss as Baltimore's bats went silent.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a night to forget at the Trop. The Baltimore Orioles came into Tuesday's series opener against the Rays looking to gain ground in the AL East, but instead ran into a buzzsaw named Ryan Pepiot. The Rays' starter was simply untouchable, silencing the O's bats and leading Tampa Bay to a decisive 7-1 victory.
Ryan Pepiot delivered a dominant performance, striking out a season-high 11 Orioles over seven innings.
From the first pitch, it was clear Ryan Pepiot was in command. The Orioles' lineup had no answers for his stuff, as he carved through them for seven masterful innings. His 11 strikeouts were a season-high and left Baltimore hitters shaking their heads on the way back to the dugout. The Rays' offense, led by Jake Mangum's three-hit, three-RBI night, provided more than enough support, putting the game out of reach early.
On the other side, Orioles starter Dean Kremer battled but couldn't keep the Rays off the board. Tagged with his eighth loss of the season to fall to 5-8, Kremer was let down by an offense that provided virtually no support. The entire Orioles lineup was held in check, with no player managing more than a single hit. The team's lone run felt like too little, too late, a small consolation in a game that was never truly close.
This loss drops the Orioles to a 29-41 record, keeping them firmly in 5th place in the competitive AL East. The offensive struggles are becoming a defining trend for this team, and with no roster moves or injury returns on the immediate horizon, the current group will have to find a way to break out of this slump. Manager Tony Mansolino has his work cut out for him as the team tries to salvage the series.
The beauty of baseball is that there's always tomorrow. The Orioles will have to flush this one quickly and come back on Wednesday ready to compete. Finding a way to generate some offense against this tough Rays pitching staff will be priority number one. Let's hope the bats wake up and the O's can even the series.
