The Tampa Bay Rays (64-44) defeated the Baltimore Orioles (38-70) 10-6 on Friday night at Camden Yards in Baltimore. The win pushes the Rays to a 2.5 game lead over the Red Sox for first place in the American League East.
The Orioles scored first and wound up building a 5-2 lead after five innings. The Rays got back into the game thanks to Nelson Cruz, who hit a three-run home run in the top of the sixth to tie the game 5-5. The Rays then blew the game open with a five-run output in the eighth inning in route to a 10-6 win.
Nelson Cruz, acquired by the Rays before the trade deadline for a playoff push, went 2-for-6 with five RBIs. Manuel Margot added three hits while Wander Franco had two RBIs as the Rays scored ten times on fourteen hits.
Ryan Yarbrough allowed five earned runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking none in five innings of work. Drew Rasmussen (1-1, 4.15) got the win out of the bullpen after allowing one earned run in two and a third innings of work.
The Rays and Orioles now meet in the second game of a three game series on Saturday night. First pitch Saturday is scheduled for 7:05 PM - pregame coverage begins at 6:30 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES