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 Rays starter Matt Moore was dominant, holding Baltimore to two hits
in seven scoreless innings, but the Orioles got to reliever Alex
Colome, who had allowed only one run since the All-Star break before
giving up four Thursday.
"We played 'til 27 outs instead of 21," said Jones, who made the
final out of the night at the warning track as well. "Until that
27th out is made, we're going to play hard. That's just how the
makeup of this team is ... We've got to take care of our business.
You can't clean everybody else's house when your house is dirty."
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.
The Rays had been 58-6 when leading after seven innings, and
Baltimore had been 3-65 when trailing after seven. Colome had a
MLB-best 0.29 ERA since the All-Star break, allowing one earned run
in 30 2/3 innings before Thursday.
"This is probably his first hiccup he's had since he's been moved
into that role, and right now it's tough to take," Rays manager
Kevin Cash said. "At the same time, this can be used as a little bit
of a learning experience, and he'll be better for it going forward
for sure."
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 Jones tapped a two-run single to right field to
give Baltimore the lead.
His biggest play came in the fourth, robbing one of baseball's best
defensive outfielders with a gem against Kevin Kiermaier.
"Huge," starter Chris Tillman said. "People don't really notice it
much, but he's one of the best in the game. We had runners on base
and he made a great play."
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.
"We're all pumped up for Matt Moore," Cash said. "I think it brings
everybody back how talented he is and how he's capable of helping us
going forward. Huge day for him."
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.
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Tampa Bay added a run on hustle as center fielder 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 Orioles starter Chris Tillman were locked in a pitchers'
duel for the first five innings, with the only run up to that point
coming when Tampa Bay designated hitter John Jaso hit a solo home
run in third inning.
Jaso's home run was hit well enough that it never came down -- the
ball, headed deep to right field, hit off 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 last year, had
his best outing of 2015, having not lasted even five innings in any
of his first eight. Moore struck out seven batters in the first six
innings -- his previous season high had been four -- and held the
Orioles to two hits in those 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 first
baseman James 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
played 13 games at Tropicana Field this season, the most two teams
have ever played at one venue in a single season. The series
scheduled for Camden Yards on May 1-3 was moved to the Trop due to
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, while Cedeno hasn't pitched since Sept. 5. ... The Orioles
entered the night with only 64 errors, the lowest total in the
majors. They also have the league's best fielding percentage at .988
on the season.
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