The Tampa Bay Rays took care of business in a division game on Sunday, August 23, 2026, defeating the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 at Camden Yards. Nick Martinez was the story, throwing six innings of one-hit, zero-walk, zero-run baseball with four strikeouts to earn the win. Chandler Simpson drove in a key run for Tampa Bay, while Baltimore's only real threat came off the bat of Colton Cowser, who homered. The Rays walked away with a two-run victory in a clean, professional performance against a division opponent.

Nick Martinez Shuts Down Baltimore Lineup for Six Innings

Martinez was simply on another level Sunday. He held the Orioles to one hit and issued zero walks across six full innings, striking out four. That is as efficient as starting pitching gets. He gave the Rays' bullpen a manageable situation entering the seventh, and that matters in a tight, low-scoring game like this one.

Cam Booser and Kevin Kelly each threw a scoreless inning in relief, with Kelly adding a strikeout. Bryan Baker closed it out in the ninth, allowing one hit and one earned run but recording the save after a shaky frame. Baltimore made it briefly interesting late, but the Rays had enough cushion to absorb it.

Rays Offense Gets Enough Done Against Shane Baz

Shane Baz, the former Ray now pitching for Baltimore, had a rough afternoon against his old organization. Baz surrendered three earned runs on five hits and three walks across 5.2 innings, striking out three. Tampa Bay's bats were selective and patient, and Chandler Simpson led the way with two hits and an RBI in three at-bats.

The Rays did not need a big offensive explosion. Three runs against the Orioles bullpen was more than enough given what Martinez and the relievers brought to the mound.

Orioles' Cowser Provides the Only Fireworks for Baltimore

For Baltimore, Colton Cowser was the lone bright spot at the plate. He went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, accounting for the Orioles' only run. Outside of Cowser's contribution, Baltimore's offense was largely neutralized by Martinez and company. Grant Wolfram and Anthony Nunez each threw scoreless relief frames for the Orioles, but their starter gave up too much ground early.

Key Performances at a Glance

  • Nick Martinez (W): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
  • Chandler Simpson: 2-for-3, 1 RBI
  • Cam Booser: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER
  • Kevin Kelly: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K
  • Bryan Baker (SV): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB
  • Colton Cowser (BAL): 2-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI
  • Shane Baz (L, BAL): 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

What's Next for Tampa Bay

The Rays pick up a quality road win against a division opponent and head forward with momentum from Martinez's outing. His ability to go six innings while using almost nothing from the bullpen early keeps the relievers fresh. The Rays will look to build on this result as the regular season continues in the days ahead.