Rays Vs. Orioles: Final Score, Baltimore Wins 6-2 To Avoid Sweep

The Tampa Bay Rays won their series against the Baltimore Orioles to pull themselves back into the AL Wild Card race, but they couldn't complete the sweep of their division rivals on Thursday. James Shields got roughed up for five earned runs in six innings, while Chris Tillman went six strong to help the Orioles to a 6-2 victory.

Shields got through his first four innings comfortably before things went wrong in the 5th. Adam Jones knocked in two runs with a single, which was followed by a three-run double by by Chris Davis two batters later, putting the O's up 5-0.

Sam Fuld brought the Rays back into the game with a two-run double in the 7th inning, but Davis answered with a solo shot of his own a half inning later to push the O's lead to four. They would hold that lead until the end of the game, as Pedro Strop and Jim Johnson closed things out with scoreless 8th and 9th inning outings.

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Rays Vs. Orioles Preview: Tampa Bay Goes For Sweep In Baltimore

Both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles are tied, two and a half games behind the final wild card spot in the American League. Despite that, the Rays seem to be the hotter team, on the verge of sweeping the Orioles after taking the first two games of the series, including a 10-1 thrashing on Wednesday.

Part of that success for the Rays was by acquisition Ryan Roberts. Though he only had two official at bats, he hit a home run and scored three runs in the victory. On Thursday, the Rays go for the sweep with James Shields (8-6, 4.39 ERA) starting on the hill. In his last start on July 20 against the Seattle Mariners, Shields went seven and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on four hits and striking out 10 in a no decision.

The Orioles will counter with Chris Tillman (2-1, 1.15). He is coming of a start on July 21 against the Cleveland Indians where he went six and two-thirds innings, allowing only one run on six hits and striking out four.

The game is scheduled for a 12:35 p.m. first pitch from Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Television coverage will be provided by MLB Network nationally, Sunshine Sports Network locally and radio coverage provided by 620 WDAE AM.

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Rays Vs. Orioles: Tampa Trounces Baltimore To Take Series

The Tampa Bay Rays hammered the Baltimore Orioles in the second game of their big three-game series at Camden Yards. The Rays offense jumped all over O's starter Miguel Gonzalez and then cruised to a 10-1 win. Tampa didn't waste any time either, as Desmond Jennings led it off with a solo shot over the left field wall. That was just the start to a big first inning as the Rays would pour on four more runs for a 5-0 lead before the Orioles ever had an at-bat.

The last four runs all came with two outs, starting with a Carlos Pena single that scored B.J. Upton. Gonzalez then got wild and hit back-to-back batters, the second of which beaned Jose Lobaton in a bases-loaded situation and scored Jeff Keppinger. With the bags still juiced, Elliot Johnson singled to left to score Pena and the newly acquired Ryan Roberts.

Roberts had a big night in his first appearance in a Rays uniform, following up his first inning run with a two-run homer to left-center in his second plate appearance of the game in the third. The blast made it 7-1 and removed all doubt. Lobaton would add the final blow of the night with a three-run shot off Matt Lindstrom.

All of this offense was more than enough for David Price, who hit a little hiccup in the first inning but cruised after that with the big cushion. Price struck out 10 in seven innings of work, while walking no one and allowing seven hits. He improved to a stellar 14-4 with the easy victory.

The Rays will now go for the sweep on Thursday afternoon with James Sheilds on the mound.

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Rays Vs. Orioles: Wednesday Starting Lineups

After securing a win in the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles (51-46) on Tuesday night in Baltimore, the Tampa Bay Rays (50-47) look to continue making ground on their A.L. East foes, who are second in the division and also amid the wild care chase. The Rays are currently 2.5 games behind the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels, who are tied atop the wild-card standings. Baltimore is 1.5 back.

The Rays send David Price to the mound on Wednesday. The left-hander is 13-4 this season with a 2.64 ERA and 120 strikeouts.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EST and will be televised by SUN Sports.

Here are tonight's lineups for Tampa Bay.

(Via the team's Twitter account)

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How Ryan Roberts Fits The Rays' Needs

The newly-acquired INF Ryan Roberts matches a number of needs for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Ryan Roberts Trade: Rays Acquire Diamondbacks Infielder

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired infielder Ryan Roberts from the Arizona Diamondbacks late Tuesday night after a big win in Baltimore. The Rays will reportedly send Double-A infielder Tyler Bortnick to the Diamondbacks in exchange for the utility infielder Roberts.

Chatter had intensified that the Rays would make a move to land Roberts, who was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks on Tuesday afternoon. The speculation culminated with the deal on Tuesday night. He will likely get some time at third while Tampa still waits for Evan Longoria to return from his hamstring injury.

Roberts will join the team in Baltimore as they look to build on the win and performance by Jeremy Hellickson on Monday night. The offensive hero of that game, Brooks Conrad, could be left out in the cold and the victim of the corresponding roster move when Roberts is brought aboard.

For more stories and rumors leading up to the MLB Trade Deadline, keep up with this StoryStream. For more news and information on the Tampa Bay Rays, check out the SB Nation Blog DRaysBay . For more news and information throughout Major League Baseball, check out the SB Nation MLB Hub.

Rays Vs. Orioles Recap: Jeremy Hellickson Pitches Tampa To 3-1 Series Opening Win

The Rays opened a big three-game series in Baltimore on Tuesday night with a 3-1 win. Jeremy Hellickson was fantastic, keeping the O's offense at bay and picking up his first win in his last 10 starts. Hellickson did not issue a walk in 6.1 innings of work, allowing just one run on three hits. An Adam Jones homer to center that broke a scoreless tie in the fourth would be the only blemish, and the Rays bullpen picked right up from there to pitch 2.2 scoreless innings and preserve the win.

After Jones homered in the bottom of the fourth, the Rays would quickly respond and break through against Wei-Yin Chen to take the lead at 2-1. Brooks Conrad delivered the blow, taking a Chen offering over the left field wall with Sam Fuld on first. Fuld walked and Conrad came through with the clutch two-out hit that would prove to be the difference. Jeff Keppinger added another insurance run an inning later when he singled home B.J. Upton but the troika of Jake McGee, Joel Peralta, and Fernando Rodney only needed the one-run lead.

The Rays will try to make it two-in-row at Camden and clinch the series on Wednesday night. David Price will be on the hill for Tampa while Miguel Gonzalez will go for the Birds.

Read more on the Rays at DRaysBay and SB Nation Tampa Bay. Head over to Camden Chat for more on the Orioles. Baseball Nation is your source for news and analysis around Major League Baseball.

Evan Longoria Injury Update: Joe Maddon Says Third Baseman Close To Being Ready For Rehab Assignment

As the Tampa Bay Rays prepare to face off against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, Rays skipper Joe Maddon talked briefly Evan Longoria, to the Tampa Bay Times. After watching him go through a workout, Maddon says the injured third baseman could be ready to begin a rehab assignment.

Longoria, who suffered a partially torn left hamstring on May 1st, could potentially start the assignment on the team's current nine-game road trip:

"If you just came out and watched the whole workout, you'd say there's nothing wrong with this guy at all," Maddon said. "But of course there is. The way the leg is going to hold up or not is based on the strength level in the leg. (Head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield) has been working hard with him to build up the strength and if Ronnie is satisfied with the strength level, that's the most important issue right now."

Longoria will go through another workout on Wednesday in Baltimore and then be re-evaluated.

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Rays Vs. Orioles: Hellickson Looking For Elusive Fifth Win

The Rays and Orioles will face off in a three-game series that will be crucial to the AL Wild Card race.