The Tampa Bay Rays lost one of their top offensive contributors late in Tuesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Designated hitter Yandy Díaz was forced to leave the game in the eighth inning after being hit on the hand by a 93.9 m.p.h. Yennier Cano fastball.
Díaz was visibly in pain as team trainers and manager Kevin Cash checked on his hand, and was eventually replaced by pinch-runner Carson Williams.
The 34-year-old Díaz was 2-for-3 with a double and a homer in what ended as a 4-1 Rays win.
The pair of hits improved Díaz’s slash line to .318/.394/.506 on the season.
Tampa Bay has won 20 of 24, has the best record in MLB at 32-15 and is a season-high 17 games above .500.
Griffin Jax gave up three hits and walked one before Kevin Kelly (3-1) earned the win with a scoreless sixth. Bryan Baker pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 13th save.
Díaz homered to lead off the sixth and give the Rays a 2-1 lead.
Taylor Ward hit a home run to lead off the game for the Orioles’ only run.
Kyle Bradish (2-6) allowed two runs and four hits, walked three and struck out six.
Samuel Basallo went 0 for 3 and had his career-best 10-game hitting streak snapped. It was the longest active streak of its kind and the longest by an Orioles player this season. The 21-year-old’s string of five consecutive games with a run scored also came to an end.
After Jonathan Aranda walked with two out, Díaz hit an RBI double that made it 1-1 going into the second inning.
Díaz was hit by a pitch with two out in the eighth and was replaced by pinch-runner Carson Williams. After Rico Garcia relieved Yennier Cano, Richie Palacios doubled to drive in Williams and advanced to third on the throw home. He scored when Jonny DeLuca singled to make it 4-1.
The Rays set or tied season highs in runs (16), hits (18), doubles (six), extra-base hits (eight), and walks (seven, T-1st) in their 16-6 win Monday.
Orioles RHP Shane Baz (1-5, 5.26 ERA) starts Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series. The Rays haven’t announced their starter.
— with files from the Associated Press