Recap: Baltimore vs. Tampa Bay
Sports Network | September 24, 2008
Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Akinori Iwamura drove in three runs and the Tampa Bay Rays completed a four-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, coming back from a six-run deficit for an 11-6 triumph at Camden Yards.
The Rays remained on the brink of their first division title in franchise history. They continue to hold a three-game lead over Boston in the AL East and reduced their magic number to one by way of holding the season series tiebreaker over the Red Sox with just four games remaining. Boston, which clinched a playoff spot Tuesday night by edging Cleveland, downed the Indians again Wednesday.
Winners in eight of its last 10 contests, Tampa Bay will now try to clinch the division title Thursday afternoon, when the Rays start a four-game series in Detroit.
Dioner Navarro had a pair of RBI and Jason Bartlett scored twice and knocked in one for the Rays, who may have to figure out what to do with the rotation spot of Edwin Jackson (13-11). He surrendered five first-inning runs, but hung around for a 5 1/3-inning outing and allowed six runs overall on 10 hits and a pair of walks in becoming the beneficiary of the comeback.
The young righty yielded just one run and seven hits over 7 2/3 innings to beat the Twins his last time out, but that halted an awful three-start losing streak, during which he surrendered 15 runs and 24 hits over just 12 1/3 innings of work.
Luke Scott doubled in three runs and Brian Roberts scored twice on a pair of hits. Nick Markakis had three hits with a run scored and an RBI for the O's, who have lost nine straight games and are a woeful 5-26 since August 22.
Radhames Liz gave up a five-run inning as well, accounting for four earned runs, on five hits and three walks overall in a five-inning start.
The Rays came all the way back, taking Jackson off the hook with two runs in the sixth off Brian Burres (7-10). After a single by pinch-hitter Fernando Perez and a hit-by-pitch to Bartlett, Iwamura cleared the bases with a triple down the right field line for a 7-6 advantage.
Four more runs in the eighth opening some breathing room. Rocky Cherry loaded the bases with one down thanks to a pair of walks and another plunking of Bartlett, before exiting in favor of Alberto Castillo, who retired Carlos Pena on strikes for the second out. Randor Bierd came on to force in two runs with back-to-back walks to Evan Longoria and Cliff Floyd. Navarro followed with a two-run single to right.
Trever Miller helped secure a sloppy game with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief down the stretch. The lefty picked up his second save of the season, while fanning five of the seven batters he faced.
Baltimore battered Jackson for five runs in the first. Three consecutive singles to start the frame left the bases full for Aubrey Huff, who lined an RBI single to center. Oscar Salazar continued the one-base barrage with a run- scoring single and Scott capped the rally with a bases-clearing double and a 5-0 lead.
Roberts manufactured a sixth run for the O's in the second by looping a single to right, stealing second and coming around to score on a Markakis single.
Tampa Bay came back with a five-run inning of its own in the fourth. The Rays loaded them up with one down and Liz forced in a run with a walk to Gabe Gross. Eric Hinske followed with an RBI single and Bartlett plated two more runs with a single that caromed off of Liz, who recovered to throw home, but the ball bounced away allowing the second run to score. Iwamura brought in the fifth run with a groundout.
Tampa Bay took the season series with a commanding 15-3 record, including a 7-2 mark at Camden Yards, and finished the season having won 12 straight against the Orioles...Roberts' stolen base in the second inning was his 40th of the season.
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