Orioles 3, Rays 1
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Joey Rickard hit a three-run home run, and Chris Tillman threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings, leading the Baltimore Orioles to a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday at Tropicana Field.
The Orioles won the finale of a three-game series ended a three-game skid while snapping the Rays' three-game winning streak.
Rickard's rocket in the fifth inning against left-hander Matt Moore was the lone production the Orioles required on a night when Baltimore was out-hit 4-3. The Rays outscored Baltimore 5-1 in the first two games of the series.
Rickard isn't known for his power. He managed a total of three homers the past two years in the minors. The 24-year-old rookie launched his first career major league home run in a victory over the Minnesota Twins on April 7 at Camden Yards, a 399-foot solo shot against reliever Trevor May.
He had 13 home runs in his minor league career from 2012-15.
Tillman continued his success at Tropicana Field, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out nine. He is 3-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 10 career starts at the ballpark. He owns eight quality starts at Tampa Bay.
After Tillman exited, the bullpen combination of Darren O'Day, Brad Brach and Zach Britton closed out the win. Britton allowed a run on two hits in the ninth but still picked up his fifth save of the season.
With the victory, the Orioles gained needed momentum before returning home for a 10-game stay that begins Thursday against the Chicago White Sox. Baltimore had lost four of five dating to a 4-2 defeat against the Kansas City Royals on Friday.
Rickard's three-run home run in the fifth inning broke Moore's spell over the Orioles (12-8), lifting Baltimore to a 3-0 lead after five.
The blast to left field was only the third hit for the Orioles against the left-hander, who had held Baltimore to one hit with five strikeouts through 4 2/3 innings. After Moore retired Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy to begin the fifth, Nolan Reimold walked and Jonathan Schoop singled on a line drive to center field. Rickard's homer then gave Baltimore a comfortable cushion.
The lone early threat against Tillman happened in the fourth. Logan Forsythe singled on a line drive to right field to begin the inning, and Brad Miller walked on five pitches. Tillman escaped when Evan Longoria flied out to center field, Corey Dickerson struck out swinging and Desmond Jennings popped out behind home plate. Forsythe was stranded on third and Miller on second.
Despite their lack of early offense, the Rays (10-11) enjoyed a defensive moment to remember. In the fourth, Steven Souza Jr. might have produced the Rays' best catch of the year when he made a diving grab on Chris Davis' one-out line drive to right field near the warning track, preventing extra bases.
NOTES: Rays RHP Brad Boxberger (adductor surgery), who is targeting a mid-May return, threw 25 pitches in his first full bullpen session Wednesday. He tossed a mixture of fastballs and changeups. ... Orioles 3B Manny Machado will play for the Dominican Republic in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, and Baltimore manager Buck Showalter supports the choice. ... Rays manager Kevin Cash jokingly referred to himself as a "genius" for moving SS Brad Miller to second in the lineup and 1B Logan Morrison sixth. Miller and Morrison went a combined 3-for-8 on Tuesday after both struggled offensively to start the season. ... Showalter gave a positive report on INF Jimmy Paredes (left wrist sprain), who went 1-for-3 with one strikeout and a walk during a rehab game for Double-A Bowie on Tuesday.