6 months ago
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Brian Roberts hit his fourth career grand slam and Nolan Reimold added a three-run shot, leading the Baltimore Orioles past the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7 on Thursday night.
Roberts' 12th homer of the season came on a 3-2 pitch from reliever Lance Cormier with two outs in the sixth and made it 5-1. Roberts was the first batter Cormier faced - he replaced starter James Shields. It was Roberts first grand slam since June 20, 2004, against Colorado.
Reimold extended Baltimore's advantage to 8-4 with his homer in the seventh. The Orioles stopped a five-game losing streak and are 9-24 since the All-Star break.
Ben Zobrist homered and had four RBIs for the Rays, who entered with a four-game winning streak. Carlos Pena drove in two runs with a single during a three-run eighth as Tampa Bay cut its deficit to 8-7.
Jim Johnson pitched the final 1 1-3 innings for his fifth save. The Baltimore closer rejoined the team after missing the previous two games for the birth of his daughter.
Shields (7-10) allowed four runs and seven hits over 5 2-3 innings. All three runs charged to him in the sixth were unearned because leadoff hitter Reimold reached second on third baseman Evan Longoria's throwing error. The Rays' opening day starter is 1-5 over his last 11 starts.
Zobrist put the Rays up 1-0 with a first-inning RBI double, and then got Tampa Bay to 5-4 on a three-run homer off Brian Matusz (2-2) in the sixth.
Matusz, making his fourth major league start, gave up four runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Baltimore tied it at 1 when Cesar Izturis hit a run-scoring grounder in the fifth.
NOTES: Roberts has a 10-game hitting streak. ... Tampa Bay 2B Akinori Iwamura (left knee surgery) was the DH for Triple-A Durham two days after leaving a minor league rehab start with leg muscle fatigue. ... The Orioles claimed RHP Chris Lambert off waivers from Detroit and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. ... Injured Baltimore INF Luis Montanez (right thumb) will play in the Puerto Rico winter league. ... Baltimore has set up a throwing program for RHP Koji Uehara (right elbow), who is rehabbing at the team's minor league complex in Sarasota, Fla.
Comments 
