The Sports Xchange
Jul 25, 2017
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- All it took was one big inning to end the Tampa Bay Rays' five-game losing streak.
The Rays struck for five runs in the second inning, then didn't get another hit until the eighth, but it was just enough for a 5-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday at Tropicana Field.
Tim Beckham had the big hit for the Rays, a three-run home run off Orioles starter Wade Miley (4-9).
Rays rookie Jake Faria (5-1) continued an impressive start to his career, going 7 1/3 innings and holding the Orioles to three runs. He recorded an eighth quality start in nine major league appearances.
The Orioles (48-52) couldn't find the bats as they had Monday in a 6-0 win in the series opener.
Baltimore made things interesting in the eighth, as the Rays walked the bases loaded -- one by Faria and two by reliever Tommy Hunter. With two outs, Welington Castillo hit a two-run single to left to pull the Orioles within 5-4, with two on for Hyun Soo Kim. Hunter struck out Kim to end the inning.
The Orioles got the leadoff man on in the ninth against Alex Colome on a throwing error, but Adam Jones hit into a double play. With two outs, Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop singled to put the tying run at third base. Colome still closed it out, forcing a Mark Trumbo groundout for his American League-leading 29th save.
The Rays broke loose in the second inning, tagging Miley for five runs on five hits.
Steven Souza, Brad Miller and Adeiny Hechavarria singled to load the bases with one out, and Mallex Smith started the scoring with an RBI single. Jesus Sucre's sacrifice fly made it 2-0, and Beckham followed with his 12th home run of the season.
Faria, who came in with a 2.52 ERA, was again in control. The Orioles had a chance at a big inning with the bases loaded in the fifth, but got only Machado's sacrifice fly. Trey Mancini added a solo home run in the sixth inning, his 16th, to cut the lead to 5-2.
NOTES: Rays C Wilson Ramos got the day off, a night after he needed six staples to close a laceration on his head when Ruben Tejada's bat broke and hit his helmet on the backswing. Ramos is expected back for Wednesday's series finale, and Jesus Sucre had a sacrifice fly while filling in for him Tuesday night. ... Orioles 2B Jonathan Schoop was named American League Player of the Week for the week of July 17-23 -- he batted .433 (13-for-30) with three home runs and 16 RBIs in seven games. It's his first AL weekly honor. ... Orioles rookie 1B Trey Mancini hit his 16th home run on Tuesday. His 14 before the All-Star break were the most ever by an Orioles rookie, edging the 13 by Eddie Murray (1977) and Curt Blefary (1965).