The Tampa Bay Rays (60-53) defeated the Baltimore Orioles (59-55) 4-1 on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field. The win gives the Rays a 1.5 game lead over the Orioles for the final AL Wild Card spot, and gives Tampa Bay a winning record against Baltimore in the season series.

Drew Rasmussen (7-4, 2.80) was brilliant for the Rays, retiring the first 24 Orioles he faced to take a perfect game bid into the ninth inning. Jorge Mateo doubled to lead off the ninth inning to end the bid at history, but the Rays would hold on for the win.

Rasmussen finished the game pitching eight and one-third innings in which he allowed one earned run on one hit while striking out seven and walking none. He threw 87 pitches - 62 of them for strikes - on the night. Jason Adam struck out the final two batters of the game to earn his sixth save of the season.

Randy Arozarena hit a three run home run in the third inning to give the Rays an early lead. David Peralta added a RBI single in the fifth which would be all the offense the Rays would need.

The Rays now head to New York to begin a three game series against the Yankees on Monday night. First pitch Monday is scheduled for 7:05 PM - pregame coverage begins with Jay Recher hosting the Inside Pitch at 6:00 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620, your Home of the Rays.

PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES