Jonathan Schoop singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and Caleb Joseph had two RBIs as the Baltimore Orioles beat the fading Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 Tuesday night.
Nelson Cruz had two hits and drove in a run for the AL East-leading Orioles, who improved to 10-4 against Tampa Bay. Baltimore relievers gave up one hit over the final 4 1-3 innings.
Evan Longoria had two RBIs for the Rays, who have lost seven of 10 since reaching the .500 mark on Aug. 15. Tampa Bay stranded nine and had two runners thrown out at the plate.
With the game tied at two in the sixth, Schoop delivered a two-out RBI single off Grant Balfour (1-6). Balfour signed with Baltimore in January, but the contract was voided when he failed the physical.
One night after hitting five home runs, the Orioles totaled nine hits - eight singles and an RBI double by Cruz that made it 4-2 in the seventh. Baltimore is 12-28 when it does not homer.
Brad Brach (5-0) got four outs in relief of starter Wei-Yin Chen and Zach Britton, the fourth Orioles reliever, worked the ninth for his 28th save.
Alex Cobb gave up two runs, three hits and three walks in four innings for Tampa Bay. Cobb is unbeaten since June 23 and has a franchise-record streak of nine starts allowing two runs or fewer.
The Rays got six hits in the first two innings but scored only one run, on a first-inning RBI single by Longoria.
In the third inning, the umpires called for a crew chief review - of a walk. After home plate umpire Pat Hoberg awarded Nick Markakis first base, a replay of the at-bat revealed the count was full. Markakis then took a third strike.
Baltimore went up 2-1 in the fourth. With two out and runners on second and third, Joseph hit a sinking liner to center that ticked off the glove of a diving Desmond Jennings.
A two-out double by Longoria tied it in the fifth and ended Chen's shortest outing since June 28.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: C Ryan Hanigan was activated from the DL after missing 38 games with a left oblique strain and C Curt Casali was optioned to Triple-A Durham.
Orioles: 3B Manny Machado left the team for California to have season-ending surgery on his right knee Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Rays: Left-hander Drew Smyly (1-1) starts Wednesday, seeking an encore for the two-hit shutout he had Friday in Toronto. Smyly has an 0.64 ERA in four career appearances against Baltimore.
Orioles: Rookie RHP Kevin Gausman (7-5) is 1-2 with a 7.16 ERA in four career games against Tampa Bay.
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