Rays dent Orioles' division title hopes
BALTIMORE -- Richie Shaffer hit a tie-breaking double in the sixth inning, Mikie Mahtook added a two-run single and Evan Longoria homered for the third time in three nights as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 on Saturday night.
The loss dropped the Orioles (81-67) three games behind Boston (84-64) in the American League East as the Red Sox beat the Yankees 6-5 earlier in the day. Baltimore, though, was tied with Toronto in the wild-card race -- three games ahead of Seattle -- entering Saturday.
Shaffer was recently recalled from Triple-A Durham and didn't have a homer or an RBI until he hit a two-run blast Friday. His hit Saturday was the key in a three-run inning that gave the Rays (64-84) the lead they never lost.
Baltimore took a 2-1 lead in the sixth but Longoria led off with a solo homer to left-center. Shaffer lined his double that brought in Brad Miller with the go-ahead run.
The Rays added two more in the eighth when Mahtook greeted right-hander Mychal Givens with a two-run bloop single to right that gave Tampa Bay a 5-2 lead.
Tampa Bay starter Matt Andriese (8-7) earned his second straight victory after going nearly three months without one. He gave up two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings and left with a 3-2 lead.
Alex Colome took care of the ninth and got his 34th save.
Baltimore starter Chris Tillman (16-6) gave up three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six.
The Orioles took an early lead thanks to two sacrifice flies. Manny Machado hit one in the first to score Adam Jones, and Hyun Soo Kim did the same in the third, bringing in J.J. Hardy for a 2-0 lead.
Tampa Bay homered in the first inning in six consecutive games against the Orioles -- with Longoria doing it the past two nights and three times overall -- but the streak ended.
Longoria cut the lead to 2-1 when he tripled with one out in the fourth and scored on a Brad Miller fielder's choice, beating Chris Davis' throw home after a grounder to first.
NOTES: Orioles DH/OF Mark Trumbo remained out of the lineup for a second straight day with back spasms, but manager Buck Showalter said the slugger is improving. Trumbo said before the game he feels much better. ... RHP Darren O'Day could be getting closer to coming back to the team. He has been on the disabled list for more than a month (rotator cuff strain), but Showalter said he appeared OK on Saturday after a simulated game Friday. If that holds, then the team will decide on his status Sunday or Monday. ... IF/OF Nick Franklin remained out with a strained hamstring. He left Thursday's game with the injury and remains day to day. ... OF Mikie Mahtook getting thrown out at home to end Friday's game was the second time in club history the Rays had the tying run thrown out at the plate for the last out.