The Tampa Bay Rays bullpen, pressed into action after scheduled starter Erasmo Ramirez was scratched, combined to throw a two-hit shutout, and Tim Beckham's RBI single provided all the offense they would need with a 2-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday at Orioles Park at Camden Yards.
Tampa Bay announced Ramirez's scratching about 15 minutes before the start of the contest, and had Austin Pruitt take the mound for the start. The right-hander worked the first three frames, giving up just a first-inning walk to Manny Machado and a double by Jonathan Schoop and striking out three.
Tampa Bay got on the board in the fourth as Orioles starter Wade Miley, who walked Rickie Weeks Jr. and Logan Morrison back-to-back with one out. Tim Beckham and Weeks then worked some run-and-hit for an RBI single to right to open the scoring, and Derek Norris' sacrifice fly plated Morrison for some insurance.
Danny Farquhar gave up the only other hit, a fourth-inning leadoff infield single to Chris Davis before he, Jumbo Diaz, Chase Whitley, and Alex Colome combined to retire the next 18 straight hitters.
Whitley struck out three in working a perfect sixth, seventh, and eighth to earn the victory, his first of the year.
Colome gave up a two-out walk to Chris Davis, but struck out Mark Trumbo to end the game and earn his fifth save.
The win gets the Rays back to .500 on the season at 11-11, and end their road losing streak at four games.
Tampa Bay can earn a series win with a victory in Wednesday night's finale, as Alex Cobb (1-2, 4.88 ERA) takes on Dylan Bundy (3-1, 1.37 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05, with coverage on WDAE starting at 6:00 with The Inside Pitch, presented by Sykes Lakeland.