Rays 8, Orioles 1
Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez combined for five RBIs in the first three innings and Jeremy Hellickson scattered four hits as the Tampa Bay Rays cruised to an 8-1 victory over the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
Hellickson (12-10) tossed his second complete game - both against the Orioles this season - and struck out one. He threw 120 pitches in a four-hit shutout against Baltimore May 13.
The Rays were shut out in Hellickson’s last two starts, but scored six in the first three frames Sunday. Rodriguez lined a two-run homer in the second and Brignac produced a three-run double in the third.
Baltimore starter Jeremy Guthrie (6-17) walked three in the third inning and third baseman Mark Reynolds booted a bases-loaded grounder with two outs before Brignac delivered his key hit. Guthrie gave up seven runs in five innings – three earned.
Adam Jones belted his 23rd homer of the season - but only his second since Aug. 10 - to lead off the fifth. He also had a double for the Orioles.
Matt Joyce added a solo home run and Johnny Damon singled in the fourth for the Rays to tie Doc Cramer for 62nd on the all-time hit list with 2,705.