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 Either way, the Baltimore Orioles got six strong innings from
Chris Tillman and a shut-down effort from its bullpen Tuesday to
beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 in the first of a three-game series at
Tropicana Field.
The Orioles (16-14) scored twice in the eighth inning off relievers
Joel Peralta and Juan Carlos Oviedo to finish off a game of missed
opportunities. After loading the bases for the third time in the
game, they took a 4-3 lead on second baseman Ryan Flaherty's RBI
single to right. Right fielder Nick Markakis bounced into a
run-scoring fielder's choice against Oviedo.
Peralta (1-2) took the loss after being charged with two runs on
three hits and a walk in a third of an inning. He was on the mound
and had to wait through a 19-minute delay when a reported lightning
strike at a nearby transformer knocked out several banks of lights.
"Second and third, the lights go out," Flaherty said. "But we picked
up where we left off and got a couple of runs in the inning. ... I
saw a couple of their guys sitting in the outfield, Looney Tunes was
on the scoreboard. It was kind of a bizarre moment."
 Baltimore out-hit the Rays 11-5, but left 10 men on base and was
2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
The Rays had tied the game 3-3 in the seventh inning on a Ben
Zobrist sacrifice fly. Tampa Bay (15-18) chased Orioles starter
Chris Tillman when right fielder Wil Myers led off with a single and
designated hitter David DeJesus walked, then loaded the bases with
one out when reliever Darren O'Day hit Ryan Hanigan with a pitch.
Zobrist then hit his sacrifice fly.
O'Day nonetheless got the win in his first decision of the season.
Tommy Hunter recorded his ninth save despite the Rays loading the
bases with one out in the ninth.
Tillman allowed three runs -- for the sixth time in seven starts
this season -- on five hits and two walks and a hit batter.
"I'd always like to go deeper, but they put some good at-bats
together, laid off some good pitches," Tillman said. "Too many
walks. Too many deep counts."
And too good of a job by Rays third baseman Evan Longoria in the
first inning, he said. Tampa Bay took a 2-0 lead in the first inning
on Longoria's fourth homer of the season. The third baseman mashed
an 0-2 pitch from Tillman to dead center, scoring left fielder Matt
Joyce, who singled with two outs off the glove of third baseman
Manny Machado in an exaggerated shift.
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"He beat me on my game plan," he said.
The Orioles halved the lead when first baseman Steve Pearce homered
leading off the third against Rays starter Chris Archer. They tied
it in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by shortstop J.J. Hardy, but
they squandered a major chance when two singles and an error loaded
the bases with no outs.
Baltimore took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on a center fielder Adam
Jones' sacrifice fly, but the Orioles again got just one run after
loading the bases.
"I gave up a lot of hits with two strikes and if I don't put us in
that hole - only going five, giving up three runs - then the
complexion of the game is totally different," Archer said.
Archer lasted just five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits
with a walk and six strikeouts.
"He wasn't as sharp as he can be, but nonetheless he pitched in a
manner that could've permitted us to win that game," Rays manager
Joe Maddon said.
NOTES: Orioles 1B Chris Davis took 25 swings and made 30 throws, the
first time he attempted both activities since sustaining a left
oblique strain. He is eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday
but likely will need up to three rehab games in the minors,
according to manager Buck Showalter. ... Orioles RF Nick Markakis
extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a first-inning single.
... Rays CF Desmond Jennings was selected the AL Player of the Week
on Monday after batting .355 with three homers, a double, three
stolen bases and eight runs last week.
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