PORT CHARLOTTE (WDAE) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens combined to score 32 points in a matchup back in December, and the two baseball teams from the respective cities tried to one-up them Saturday.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles combined to score 32 runs, bang out 28 hits, including seven home runs, and commit nine errors as Baltimore held on for a 17-15 victory Saturday at Charlotte Sports Park.
After spotting Tampa Bay three runs in the bottom of the first, Baltimore roared back with eight runs in the top of the second off Andrew Kittredge and Ricardo Pinto, including a three-run homer by Rio Riuz as part of an 11-batter inning.
The Rays cut the deficit to 8-6 in the bottom of the inning off Dylan Bundy, but the Orioles re-extended their lead to 12-6 in the fourth, which included a three-run blast by Ryan Mountcastle, and and then to 14-6 an inning later.
But the Rays weren't done, scoring three more times in the bottom of the fifth, then taking advantage of five Baltimore errors in the seventh to score five more times and tie the game at 14 apiece.
The Orioles broke the tie for good with two runs in the eighth, and after Tampa Bay scored once to cut the lead back to 16-15, added another insurance run in the ninth. The Rays brought the winning run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Nate Lowe struck out and Jake Smolinski grounded out to end the game.
The Boston Red Sox come to Port Charlotte Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 11:30 with The Inside Pitch.