ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Tim Beckham snapped an eighth-inning tie with a two-out, bases-loaded single that gave the Tampa Bay Rays a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.
The sputtering Rays rallied after being limited to two hits over seven innings by Orioles starter Chris Tillman, who came within six outs of winning his sixth straight decision before walking Kevin Kiermaier leading off the eighth.
Kiermaier stole second and raced home on John Jaso's two-out single off reliever Darren O'Day (5-1) to make it 1-1. Evan Longoria followed with a bloop single and James Loney was walked intentionally before Beckham singled up the middle.
Alex Colome (4-4) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Jake McGee worked the ninth for his fifth save.
The Orioles lost for the first time this season when leading after seven innings.
Tillman picked up where he left off from a stellar performance at Detroit last weekend, walking three and striking out four while frustrating Tampa Bay most of the night.
Chris Davis gave Tillman all the offensive support it looked like the right-hander might need with a RBI double in the fourth off All-Star Chris Archer (9-8), who allowed one run and five hits over six innings.
The Orioles were 39-0 when leading after seven innings, but couldn't finish the Rays, who were coming off losing two of three at Philadelphia, which has the worst record in the majors.
Baltimore has lost four straight after getting swept by the first-place New York Yankees.
Tillman yielded a leadoff single to Ian Kinsler and walked Victor Martinez in the first inning before finishing a one-hit, eight-inning outing by retiring the last 23 batters he faced in a 3-0 victory at Detroit last Saturday. The right-hander fanned the first two Rays and extended his streak to 28 consecutive hitters before walking David DeJesus with two outs in the second.
Longoria doubled down the right-field line for the first hit off the Tillman, who also walked Beckham before escaping a jam in the fourth. Kiermaier bunted for a single in the fifth, but was stranded when Rene Rivera struck out and Steven Souza Jr. grounded to third to end the inning.
Tillman allowed two baserunners after the fifth, hitting Beckham with a pitch leading off the seventh. The Orioles turned an inning-ending double play to take the 1-0 lead into the eighth, when Tillman was replaced after the leadoff walk to Kiermaier.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Orioles: INF-OF Steve Pearce (strained left oblique), placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday retroactive to July 19, had an MRI exam that showed inflammation. Manager Buck Showalter said it's iffy that Pearce will be ready when eligible to come off the DL early next month.
Rays: SS Asdrubal Cabrera (right hamstring) said he was at 80 percent during his first-base running session. ... OF Desmond Jennings (left knee) ran and took batting practice with Cabrera.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Miguel Gonzalez (8-6), who has alternated wins and losses in his past five starts, faces the Rays for the fourth time this season.
Rays: RHP Erasmo Ramirez (8-3) has all of his wins joining the rotation for good on May 14.
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