The Baltimore Orioles struck for three runs in the bottom of the first inning off Matt Andriese and made it hold up, as the Tampa Bay Rays dropped the opener of their four-game series at Camden Yards 3-1 Thursday.
After a top of the first inning where each of the first three hitters reached base off Orioles starter Gabriel Ynoa but failed to score a run, the Orioles struck quickly off Andriese. Austin Hays led off the inning with a base hit and Manny Machado quickly made it 2-0 by blasting his 33rd home run of the season. Adam Jones doubled two batters later and made it 3-0 on a RBI single by Trey Mancini.
Tampa Bay would cut into the deficit in the top of the third, as Brad Miller led off the inning with a double to left. Daniel Robertson singled to right and when Hays couldn't field the baseball cleanly, the second baseman raced home to make it a 3-1 game.
But neither side would budge from that point. Andriese (5-4) ended up not allowing another run while pitching through six, while Ynoa kept Tampa Bay from getting any closer through eight.
Brad Brach allowed a two-out walk to Steven Souza Jr. and a single by Corey Dickerson in the ninth, but Kevin Kiermaier ended the game by flying out to left field to end the game.
The loss drops Tampa Bay back to a season-worst five games under .500 at 74-79.
Alex Cobb (11-10, 3.63 ERA) will look to even the series Friday, taking on Ubaldo Jimenez (6-10, 6.57 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05, with coverage on WDAE starting at 6:00 with The Inside Pitch presented by Sykes Lakeland.