Willy Aybar went 3-for-4 with a run
batted in, while Wade Davis pitched seven innings of one-run ball, as the
Tampa Bay Rays earned a 3-1 victory over the Orioles, sending Baltimore to its
12th straight defeat.
Ben Zobrist knocked in a run and scored once for the Rays, who won the series
opener, 7-6, on Monday. B.J. Upton had an RBI for the Tampa Bay, which has won
three in a row and eight of 11.
Davis (2-1) gave up seven hits while striking out three and walking three.
Over five starts in September, Davis has allowed just 27 hits and 12 earned
runs in 31 1/3 innings, with 31 strikeouts. Grant Balfour recorded the final
two outs in the ninth to pick up his third save of the year.
"He's unbelievable. I think there's a lot more to come," Upton said of Davis.
"He's been impressive from the starts that he's had. He's had one rough game,
which is to be expected. Other than that, he looks great."
Luke Scott drove in the lone run for the Orioles, while Matt Wieters had a
pair of hits in defeat. Baltimore fell a season-worst 37 games under .500
(60-97). They're three defeats away from their first 100-loss since going
54-107 in 1988.
This is Baltimore's longest skid since August 16-28, 2004, when they also
dropped 12 in a row.
"This certainly is not a good one right now," said Orioles second baseman
Brian Roberts. "The unfortunate part is we've had some good things to look at
this year, and some of them not fun to look at."
Jeremy Guthrie (10-17) went seven frames, giving up three runs on seven hits
with four strikeouts and a walk to take the loss. The former first-round draft
choice - 22nd overall, 2002 - has lost four consecutive starts since tying his
career best with a 10th win of the season on September 6.
The Rays drew first blood with a pair of runs in the first inning. Carl
Crawford walked, stole second, went to third on an Evan Longoria groundout,
and scored on Zobrist's double to right. Aybar followed with an RBI single to
center.
Baltimore scored a run in the third. Roberts doubled and Ty Wigginton
walked to get things started. Two batters later, Scott stroked an RBI base hit
up the middle.
Upton's sacrifice fly in the seventh put Tampa Bay ahead 3-1.
Game Notes
The Rays (81-76) clinched their second season in club history of at least .500
baseball...The Rays have won nine of 16 games with the Orioles this season and
five of seven matchups at Tropicana Field...The Orioles are just 6-28 on the
road against the AL East...Baltimore's franchise record for consecutive losses
is 21, from April 4-28, 1988...Roberts hit his 56th double of the season,
moving past Lance Berkman's 2001 major league record for doubles in a year by
a switch-hitter. The MLB record for doubles in a year by a second baseman is
60, set by Detroit's Charlie Gehringer in 1936.
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