Rays Winless Spring Stretch Ends By Beating Up O's

PORT CHARLOTTE (620 WDAE) -- The Tampa Bay Rays snapped their eight-game spring winless streak by busting out the lumber, hitting three home runs as part of a 12-run sixth inning going on to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 15-6 Wednesday at Charlotte Sports Park.

New Rays outfielder Peter Bourjos broke a 2-2 tie in the inning, connecting off reliever Jefri Hernandez for a two-run shot, while Nick Franklin and minor-leaguer Shane Peterson each hit three-run homers off Brian Moran later in the inning in the middle of 15 men in total coming to the plate.

Tampa Bay originally took the lead in the bottom of the third inning on run-scoring singles by Corey Dickerson and Steven Souza Jr.

Baltimore had come back to tie the game in the fourth on solo homers from Hyun Soo Kim and Chris Dickerson off closer Alex Colome.

The Orioles tried to inch their way back into the game thanks to a bases-clearing two-base fielding error by minor-leaguer Braxton Lee in the seventh off Diego Moreno and a sacrifice fly by Trey Mancini in the eighth off Justin Marks, but could not get any closer than down eight runs before Tampa Bay shut the door.

Xavier Cedeno started Wednesday's gane in place of Erasmo Ramirez, who ended up working the third inning. Cedeno, Ramirez and Tommy Hunter each worked scoreless innings to start the game, and Jumbo Diaz worked a scoreless fifth inning.

The Rays (12-16-3) will wrap up the home portion of the Grapefruit League Thursday, welcoming the Minnesota Twins to Charlotte Sports Park.  Jake Odorizzi will get the start, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05.


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