Baltimore, MD – David Price pitched seven innings to record his major league-leading 14th win and Ryan Roberts homered in his first game with the Rays, as Tampa Bay pounded the Baltimore Orioles, 10-1, at Camden Yards.
Desmond Jennings hit the first pitch of the game over the wall in left and Jose Lobaton, who had three hits and four RBI, added a three-run shot in the fifth for his first major league round-tripper.
Roberts, who was acquired Tuesday night from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league second baseman Tyler Bortnick, smacked a two-run blast in the third inning.
Price (14-4) allowed seven hits and a run while fanning 10 without issuing a walk. The lefty moved to 6-0 over his last seven starts and hasn't lost since June 13 against the Mets.
"It starts with the pitching all the time. It's nice when your pitcher is able to keep it going for you," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "I thought David was really sharp tonight."
The Rays, who won a series for just the second time in their last eight tries, go for a three-game sweep Thursday afternoon.
The Orioles entered Wednesday having surrendered three or fewer runs in seven straight games, but that stat went by the wayside almost immediately as the Rays scored five times in the opening inning off Miguel Gonzalez.
After Jennings went deep, B.J. Upton singled, and with one out advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jeff Keppinger walked prior to Carlos Pena's RBI single to right field as the ball deflected off the arm of second baseman Omar Quintanilla, who was playing in shallow right field.
Gonzalez then got wild, hitting both Roberts and Lobaton to force in a run. A 91 mph fastball grazed the jersey of Lobaton, extending Tampa Bay's lead to 3-0. Elliot Johnson then singled to left field to cap the rally.
"He's one of the best pitchers in the American League. You hate to spot him that," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Price.
Hardy's single to right plated Nick Markakis in the bottom of the first, but Price was able to blank the Orioles the rest of the way.
Matt Joyce singled to start the third, and with two down Roberts got a hold of a first-pitch fastball and homered to left-center field.
Gonzalez (2-2) later loaded the bases in the inning before being replaced by Matt Lindstrom, who retired Upton on a fly ball to center.
Lindstrom walked Pena and Roberts to begin the fifth before Lobaton homered to right field for the nine-run advantage.
Game Notes
Gonzalez was shelled for seven hits and seven runs over 2 2/3 frames...Earlier Wednesday, the Rays designated outfielder/designated hitter Hideki Matsui for assignment. In 34 games for the Rays this year, he hit .147 with two homers and seven RBI...Until Price's victory Wednesday, no Ray had ever led the majors outright in wins after the first month of the season. He is 6-2 lifetime against the Orioles. Price's six-decision winning streak is a career- high...The Tampa Bay Rays record for most consecutive wins (in decisions) for a starter is seven, done four times in team history, most recently by Jeff Niemann last year...The Rays bullpen has a current streak of 21 scoreless innings since they allowed seven runs in a 10-6 loss to Cleveland last Wednesday.
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