Recap: Tampa Bay vs. Baltimore
Sports Network | August 31, 2008
St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Jason Bartlett went 4-for-4 with a solo homer and finished with three runs scored and two driven in to lead the Tampa Bay Rays in a 10-4 rout of the Baltimore Orioles, which completed a three-game sweep from Tropicana Field. James Shields (12-8) got the win by allowing a run on six hits over seven innings. Willy Aybar had a pair of RBI for the Rays, who have won five straight and seven of nine overall. Rocco Baldelli went 3-for-3, scored twice and drove in a run to give Tampa Bay a 5 1/2-game lead over Boston in the AL East standings. Luke Scott had a two-run double for Baltimore, which has dropped eight of nine. Oscar Salazar and Kevin Millar both drove in a run in defeat. Brian Burres (7-9) took the loss after getting roughed up for seven runs on nine hits in five-plus innings of work. The Rays jumped on top in the first inning. It was second and third with two outs as Carlos Pena singled and Baldelli doubled. Aybar followed with a two- run single for a 2-0 TB lead. TB kept it going the next frame. Bartlett opened the second with a single and crossed home as Shawn Riggans followed with a double. Riggans was caught in a rundown between second and third, but his RBI made it 3-0. B.J. Upton walked, Baldelli doubled and Aybar was given an intentional walk to load the bases with one out in the third. Ben Zobrist offered a sac fly to plate Upton and Bartlett hit an RBI single to make it 5-0. Baltimore put up a run in the sixth. Brian Roberts singled, Nick Markakis walked and Aubrey Huff singled with one out to load the bases before Millar grounded into a run-scoring force out, making it 5-1. The Rays tacked on three runs in the home half, though. With the bases loaded, Alberto Castillo hit Upton to force in Bartlett before Pena and Baldelli were both walked to drive in two runs, making it 8-1. Then in the seventh, Bartlett had a solo homer off Jamie Walker, and as Akinori Iwamura reached on Millar's fielding error, Riggans crossed home to balloon Tampa Bay's lead to 10-1. The O's put up a three-spot in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Lou Montanez reached on an error by Aybar with one out and pinch-hitter Alex Cintron walked. Jason Hammel was called in from the 'pen and walked Millar to load the bases before Scott smacked a two-run double to center. Salazar closed out the scoring with a sac fly to center, making it 10-4. Game Notes Shields equaled a career-best in wins with the victory...Tampa has won 11 of its 14 meetings with the O's this season, including eight of the nine matchups in St. Petersburg...TB left 10 men on base, Baltimore stranded seven. Game Notes Shields equaled a career-best in wins with the victory...Tampa has won 11 of its 14 meetings with the O's this season, including eight of the nine matchups in St. Petersburg...TB left 10 men on base, Baltimore stranded seven.
