Do you get the feeling that interim manager Tony Mansolino is actually pretty good? Tonight’s matchup featured a tight leash on the starter, aggressive baserunning and hitting in 3-0 counts, and lots of hitters with favorable numbers against Rays starter Zack Littell: Gunnar Henderson (7-for-15 with 2 HR), Adley Rutschman (4-for-13), Colton Cowser (3-for-9), and Ramón Laureano (6-for-18).
These men and these moves made Mansolino look quite brilliant tonight. Cowser homered, Laureano had two RBIs and a web gem in right field, and Gunnar Henderson came through in a lefty-lefty matchup to drive in an insurance run. Mansolino managed this game as though it were a late-season divisional matchup and the Orioles were fighting for a wild card spot.