Rays 11, Orioles 2
BALTIMORE -- J.P. Arencibia hit a two-run homer and drove in six runs while starter Drew Smyly threw seven shutout innings as the Tampa Bay Rays rolled to an 11-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday night.
The Rays (66-66) won their third straight game while the Orioles (63-69) dropped their sixth in a row. Baltimore now has lost 12 out of its last 13 games thanks to a pair of these six-game losing skids.
Arencibia has been in the majors for parts of six seasons but spent most of this year in the minors.
On this night, though, the catcher contributed a pair of two-run singles plus the homer, knocking in six of the team's 11 runs with his 3-for-4 effort.
Smyly (2-2), who spent much of the season on the disabled list due to shoulder issues, befuddled the Orioles with the way he mixed his fastball and off-speed pitches.
The left-hander struck out 10 with just one walk and retired the final 10 batters he faced.
Tampa Bay did plenty of damage against Orioles starter Chris Tillman (9-10). The right-hander gave up seven runs on eight hits in just 4 2/3 innings, losing for a third straight start -- after winning seven in a row.
Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly and a ground-out.
Center fielder Brandon Guyer also matched a career high with four hits. He went 4-for-5 with three runs scored plus one RBI.
First baseman Chris Davis hit a two-run homer in the ninth that gave the Orioles all of their offense.
The Rays took command with four-run outbursts in the fourth and fifth innings, mostly against Tillman. First baseman James Loney put the Rays up 1-0 with an RBI single, and, two batters later, Arencibia blooped a two-run single to center.
Left fielder Grady Sizemore made it 4-0 when he grounded into a forceout as the Orioles tried for an inning-ending double play and just missed.
Tampa Bay added another run in the fifth when Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly. Right-hander Steve Johnson came on to make his Baltimore debut this season two batters later, and Guyer greeted him with an RBI double to put the Rays up 6-0.
Arencibia then followed with a two-run single to left to give the Rays an 8-0 lead.
NOTES: Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. threw out the first pitch before the game as the team celebrated the 20th anniversary -- Sept. 6, 1995 -- of breaking Lou Gehrig's record of consecutive games played. Ripken went on to play 2,632 straight games before taking himself out of the lineup in the final home game of the 1998 season. ... The Orioles selected the contract of RHP Steve Johnson and recalled RHP Oliver Drake from Triple-A Norfolk, In addition, they reinstated RHP Chaz Roe (shoulder tendinitis) from the 15-day disabled list. ... Tampa Bay CF Kevin Kiermaier (mild ankle sprain) will sit for one more day after getting hurt making a great catch in Monday's win. Manager Kevin Cash said Kiermaier will be ready Wednesday. ... The Rays recalled LHP Matt Moore, LHP C.J. Riefenhauser, RHP Kirby Yates, INF Richie Shaffer and OF Mikie Mahtook from Triple-A Durham. They also selected C Luke Maile from Durham and designated INF Hak-Ju Lee for assignment to make room.