Baltimore, which trails first-place Boston by one game in the division, has recorded seven straight wins – six in 2016 – against the Rays at Camden Yards and owns one of the best records at home in the major leagues (45-25).
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The loss stalled the Orioles’ bid to enhance their position in the playoff picture.
Baltimore went 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position.
ATHLETICS 14, ROYALS 5: Stephen Vogt drove in five runs, Ryon Healy hit a mammoth three-run homer and Oakland routed the Royals at Kansas City, Missouri. Tommy Hunter entered for Baltimore and allowed a two-run single to Longoria that increased the lead to 7-4.Gallardo was charged with six runs on seven hits, but did manage seven strikeouts.The Orioles threatened in the fifth when Jones walked and Schoop hit a ground-rule double.
Manager Buck Showalter follows up just about every strong run by the Orioles with the warning that “momentum is only as good as your next starting pitcher”, but he would rather not be proven right so easily.
Longoria put the Rays up 3-0 before Yovani Gallardo (5-8) got an out. They skipped him the last time through the rotation as the right-hander’s struggled this season, going 5-7 with a 5.44 ERA.
“It’s a tough loss because we fought back and had a chance there at the end”, Wieters said.
“First game back home, you obviously want to get home and start off on a good note”, Gallardo said.
Tampa Bay avoided being eliminated from playoff contention, but a Toronto victory against the Angels later Thursday would mathematically end the Rays’ chances of reaching the postseason.
Although the temperature was a comfortable 72 degrees and the Orioles are in the midst of a playoff push, the game attracted an announced crowd of only 19,233.
Baltimore’s Nolan Reimold hit into a double play with runners on the corners in the fourth.
The Orioles, battling for the AL East title, scored twice in the eighth as Dana Eveland allowed both batters he faced to score to get within 7-6. Brad Boxberger (4-1) replaced Snell with one out and got out of the jam on pop-up by Trumbo and a soft grounder by Davis.
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MEDICAL MATTERS: Results of an MRI and exam by Dr. Doug Carlan on 1B/DH Logan Morrison’s left wrist confirmed the Rays’ initial thought, that he had torn the sheath on a tendon in his left wrist, and needs surgery. RHP Darren O’Day (rotator cuff strain) will throw a simulated game Friday. Baltimore leads the majors with 232 homers while the Rays belted a pair in Wednesday’s 8-1 triumph at Toronto to set a franchise record with 200 blasts. While Miley has struggled since being acquired from Seattle on July 31, he is 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA in eight career starts against Tampa Bay.
