Orioles 4, Rays 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Baltimore Orioles, held to two hits and no runs in the first seven innings, rallied for four runs in the eighth off Tampa Bay Rays reliever Alex Colome to pull out a 4-3 victory Thursday night at Tropicana Field.
Rays starter Matt Moore threw a gem in his best outing since returning from Tommy John surgery in July, but Colome -- the Rays' best reliever since the All-Star break -- couldn't get out of the eighth, allowing five straight batters to reach with two outs.
Up 3-0, Colome gave up two-out RBI singles to pinch-hitter Steve Clevenger and third baseman Manny Machado. Still clinging to a 3-2 lead, the Rays intentionally walked designated hitter Chris Davis to load the bases, and centerfielder Adam Jones hit a two-run single to right field to give Baltimore the lead.
The Rays had been 58-6 when leading after seven innings, and Colome had a MLB-best 0.29 ERA since the All-Star break, allowing one earned run in 30 2/3 innings before Thursday.
The Orioles (72-74) keep their slim wild-card hopes alive, while the Rays (70-76) are all but eliminated. Right-hander Darren O'Day earned his third save of the season for the Orioles with a scoreless ninth.
Moore, who hadn't lasted five innings in any of his first seven starts this season, struck out nine and walked none, leaving after seven innings with a 3-0 lead.
Leading 1-0 in the sixth, the Rays brought in two runs with a pair of two-out infield singles. First baseman James Loney, who had three of the team's first four hits, scored when shortstop Tim Beckham singled off the glove of Orioles starter Chris Tillman.
Tampa Bay added a run on hustle as centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier slid wide of the tag and slapped first base with his hand and right fielder Steven Souza did the same to beat the throw to the plate.
Moore and Tillman were locked in a pitchers' duel for the first five innings, with the only run to that point coming on a homer in the third inning by Tampa Bay designated hitter John Jaso.
Jaso's home run was hit well enough that it never came down. The ball to right field hit the C-ring catwalk at the top of Tropicana Field, which in fair territory counts as a home run.
Moore, returning this season from Tommy John surgery in 2014, had his best outing of the year. He struck out seven batters in the first six innings -- his previous season high was four -- and held the Orioles to two hits in the first six innings.
Tillman kept the Rays in check except for Jaso's home run. Tampa Bay's other three hits in the first six innings all came from Loney.
The Rays had two on and one out in the second and fourth innings, sparked by Loney singles, but couldn't bring any runners in either time.
NOTES: After Sunday's series finale, the Rays and Orioles will have completed 13 games at Tropicana Field this season, the most two teams have ever played at one venue in a season. The series scheduled for Camden Yards on May 1-3 was moved to the Trop because of public unrest in Baltimore. ... Rays SS Asdrubal Cabrera remains day to day with a bruised left knee sustained in Tuesday's game against the Yankees. LHP Jake McGee (knee) and LHP Xavier Cedeno both threw simulated batting practice sessions Thursday as they rehab from injuries. McGee has been on the disabled list since Aug. 19 and Cedeno hasn't pitched since Sept. 5. ... The Orioles entered Thursday's game with only 64 errors, the lowest total in the majors. They also have the American League's best fielding percentage at .988.