Orioles 7, Rays 5
Chris Davis belted a grand slam during a five-run third inning and visiting Baltimore held off a rally attempt to even the series at a game apiece.
Steve Pearce launched a two-run homer and added a double while Nick Markakis contributed two hits for the Orioles. Miguel Gonzalez (4-4) allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out five over five innings while Zach Britton pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save.
Sean Rodriguez and Desmond Jennings homered while James Loney knocked in two runs for the Rays, who stranded eight baserunners – including two in the eighth after Yunel Escobar’s sacrifice fly made it 7-5. Erik Bedard (3-5) yielded five runs on four hits over four-plus frames en route to his fourth loss in five decisions.
Jonathan Schoop and Markakis singled and Pearce walked before Bedard uncorked a wild pitch as the Orioles opened the scoring in the third inning. Adam Jones was hit by a pitch to reload the bases and Davis sliced a 0-2 pitch the opposite way off the left-field foul pole for his third career grand slam.
Rodriguez and Jennings hit back-to-back blasts to left field to lead off the Rays’ half of the third, and Loney’s two-run double in the fifth closed the gap to 5-4. Caleb Joseph doubled to begin the seventh and trotted home when Pearce lined Brad Boxberger's pitch just inside the left-field foul pole to push the lead back to three.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Davis’ grand slam originally was called a double after the ball caromed back into play, but video review showed that it hit the pole squarely. … Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria started in the DH spot for the second time this season, going 1-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to six games. … The Orioles ended their string of quality starts at eight games.