Orioles' Pete Alonso blasts 30th homer, flashes leather in 5-3 win vs. Rays

Matt Weyrich, Baltimore Sun on Aug 21, 2026

Published in Baseball

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BALTIMORE — On a milestone night for Pete Alonso, the Orioles’ first baseman was everywhere.

He greeted the Tampa Bay Rays with an RBI single in the first inning, giving the Orioles an early lead. Baltimore soon fell behind, but there Alonso was again, hitting the go-ahead home run in the fifth for his 30th long ball of the season. He made his presence felt on the defensive side the following frame too when he fielded a sharp grounder and beat the speedy Chandler Simpson with a headfirst dive to complete a shutdown inning.

The Orioles went on to beat the Rays, 5-3, in no small part because of their star offseason acquisition. Alonso reached the 30-homer mark for the sixth consecutive season and seven of eight overall while becoming just the fourth free-agent signing in Orioles history to hit 30-plus in their first season with the team, joining Nelson Cruz (47 in 2014), Miguel Tejada (34 in 2004) and Albert Belle (37 in 1999).

His three RBIs also raised Alonso’s season total to 85, three short of the Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez for the American League lead. Alonso’s career high is 131 RBIs set with the New York Mets in 2022, when he paced the majors in the category.

Trevor Rogers pitched seven strong innings to keep the Rays in check. Tampa Bay scored all three of its runs in the second inning on an RBI single by Simpson and a two-run home run off the bat of 28-year-old rookie Kenny Piper — the first of his career. Rogers settled in from there and allowed just two hits, both singles, the rest of the evening.

The left-hander has delivered a quality start in nine of his past 12 outings dating to June 14, and the Orioles (62-67) are 9-3 when he takes the mound over that span.

Dylan Beavers homered for the third straight game with a solo shot in the second, and Jackson Holliday tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the fifth to account for the rest of the Orioles’ offense. Beavers’ three home runs since Wednesday matched the total from his first 71 games to start the season.

Andrew Kittredge worked around a one-out single by designated hitter Ryan Vilade for a scoreless eighth inning in relief, and Rico Garcia secured the save with a 1-2-3 ninth, his sixth of the season and first since July 27.

With the win, the Orioles ensured they will finish with a winning record against American League East rival Tampa Bay this season. The Rays swept Baltimore in its first meeting, but the Orioles have won seven of eight games between them since.