Rays shut down Orioles
BALTIMORE -- After starter Erasmo Ramirez was a late scratch, the Tampa Bay Rays used five pitchers and limited the Baltimore Orioles to two hits, leading the way for a 2-0 victory Tuesday night.
The Tampa Bay bullpen retired 17 consecutive batters before Orioles first baseman Chris Davis earned a two-out walk in the ninth.
The Rays (11-11) won for only the second time in nine road games.
The Orioles (13-6) still have an opportunity to remain undefeated in seven series this year. They took opener of the three-game series on Monday.
Tampa Bay's Austin Pruitt made a spot start after manager Kevin Cash opted to move Ramirez into the bullpen because of the "uncertain weather conditions." Pruitt was used as a starter in the minors, and he made eight appearances out of the bullpen for the Rays this season.
Pruitt pitched through a steady mist of rain and threw three scoreless innings, allowing one hit, one walk and striking out three.
The fourth Rays pitcher, Chase Whitley (1-0), threw three perfect innings with three strikeouts to get the Rays into the ninth. That opened the door for Alex Colome to pick up his fifth save.
Left-hander Wade Miley (1-1) struggled with his command but managed to keep the Orioles in the game. Miley allowed two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and six walks, one shy of a season high.
After Miley walked the first two batters to open the fourth, Tim Beckham lined an RBI single up the middle. Derek Norris followed with a sacrifice fly that increased the Rays' lead to 2-0.
Tampa Bay right fielder Steven Souza was back in the lineup after sustaining an elbow injury the previous night while scaling the wall in an attempt to haul back a home run by the Orioles' Hyun Soo Kim. Souza, who was named the American League Player of the Week on Monday, finished with three of Tampa Bay's six hits Tuesday.
NOTES: Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi (hamstring) was expected to throw live batting practice Tuesday, but the wet weather in Baltimore derailed those plans. Instead, he will throw on the field Wednesday. ... The Orioles recalled LHP Paul Fry from Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday. To make room, RHP Stefan Crichton was optioned to the Tides. ... Rays OF Colby Rasmus (groin) got the day off Tuesday from his rehab assignment at Double-A Montgomery. The plan now is for him to play Wednesday and Thursday, manager Kevin Cash said.