Nick Martinez allows 1 hit in 6 innings as Rays avert sweep with 3-1 win over Orioles

By: David Ginsburg, The Associated Press Posted: 3:34 PM CDT Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026

BALTIMORE (AP) — Nick Martinez pitched six innings of one-hit ball, Junior Caminero and Chandler Simpson delivered RBI singles in the pivotal sixth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

The AL East-leading Rays had lost three straight and seven of nine before bouncing back behind Martinez (13-4), who retired 18 of the 19 batters he faced. The only flaw in his brilliant performance was Colton Cowser’s third-inning double down the right-field line.

Cam Booser worked a perfect seventh, Kevin Kelly got three straight outs in the eighth and Bryan Baker gave up a leadoff homer to Cowser in the ninth before sealing his 37th save.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Nick Martinez delivers against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Baltimore finished with three hits and failed to draw a walk for the first time in 122 games.

Martinez and former Tampa Bay starter Shane Baz were locked in a scoreless pitching duel until the sixth, when the Rays went up 3-0 after Baz got two straight outs. Yandy Díaz singled, took third on a single by Jonathan Arana and scored when Baz threw a wild pitch to Caminero.

Caminero then grounded a run-scoring single up the middle. Baz was lifted after walking Liam Hicks, and Simpson greeted Grant Wolfram with a single to center.

Baz (4-14) gave up three runs and five hits. The hard-luck righty is 0-8 in 12 starts since June 12, in part because the Orioles have provided him only 15 runs of support in those dozen outings.

It was a disappointing finish to a 2-4 homestand for Baltimore than began with three straight losses to the Yankees.

The defeat blunted Baltimore’s bid to make some progress in the crowded race for the final AL wild-card spot. The Orioles started the day one game out but tied with the Twins behind three teams.

Up next

Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen (13-5, 3.01 ERA) starts Monday night in Detroit. The Orioles have Monday off before Chris Bassitt (4-4, 5.08) starts in St. Louis on Tuesday night.

___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here