Orioles Miss Out On Sweep Of The Rays In 7-6 Loss
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Corey Dickerson had a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning to help the Tampa Bay Rays beat Baltimore 7-6 on Wednesday and deny the Orioles a three-game sweep.
Baltimore started the day one game ahead of Detroit for the second AL wild card and one game back of AL East co-leaders Boston and Toronto.
Dickerson, in a 2 for 28 slide, tied the score 6-all with an RBI single in the fifth and got the decisive hit during the seventh off Mychal Givens (8-2).
J.J. Hardy drove in two on a second-inning double and Michael Bourn hit a solo homer during a three-run third that put Baltimore ahead 5-3.
Baltimore's Dylan Bundy and Tampa Bay's Drew Smyly each allowed five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Kevin Kiermaier and Nick Franklin homered for the Rays. Brad Boxberger (3-0) pitched a scoreless seventh for the win and Alex Colome got three outs for his 31st save in 33 chances.
Kiermaier hit a solo shot in the first and then pulled the Rays even at 5 with a two-run single in fourth. He has a career-best 11-game hitting streak.
Franklin had a two-run homer in the second.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: 1B Chris Davis (sore left hand) got the day off . . RHP Chris Tillman (right shoulder) is expected to start Sunday against Detroit. . RHP Darren O'Day (right shoulder) could pitch a simulated game Monday or Tuesday.
Rays: RHP Chase Whitley (Tommy John surgery) threw off a bullpen mound, which lines him up to make his first appearance this weekend.
COACHING CORNER
Orioles: Pitching coach Dave Wallace has returned home and will return for Monday.
Rays: New hitting coach Chad Mottola will join the team in New York for Thursday night's game at Yankee Stadium. Derek Shelton was fired Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman (7-10) faces Tigers RHP Michael Fulmer (10-6) Friday night.
Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (0-0) makes his second start Thursday since returning from Tommy John surgery, facing the Yankees and LHP CC Sabathia (8-12). "They're still in," Cobbs said. "We've got a lot riding on this last month, seeing what we have going into next year."
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