Watch CBS News

Matusz, Orioles Beat Rays, Stop 6-Game Losing Skid

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Brian Matusz gave up two hits in 7 1/3 innings and the Baltimore Orioles ended a six-game losing streak by holding off the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 Saturday.

Matusz (5-5) didn't give up a hit until the fifth inning. He struck out seven and walked three.

Reliever Pedro Strop got Ben Zobrist to ground into a bases-loaded double play in the eighth. Jim Johnson pitched the ninth for his 17th save, completing the combined two-hitter.

Baltimore broke a 1-all tie in the seventh. Mark Reynolds, who had doubled, scored with two outs when third baseman Drew Sutton made a wild throw to first on Robert Andino's grounder. Zobrist tracked down Sutton's bad throw in right field and threw out Ryan Flaherty, who also tried to score on the play.

Endy Chavez, mired in a 3-for-35 slide, put the Orioles ahead 1-0 in the third with a home run off Jeremy Hellickson (4-2). It was Chavez's first homer since last Aug. 9 against Seattle.

Elliot Johnson reached with one out in the Rays eighth when Reynolds misplayed a grounder for an error. After Matusz walked Carlos Pena, Strop relieved.

Strop's wild pitch moved up the runners and B.J. Upton walked to load the bases. But Strop worked out of the jam by getting a double-play grounder from Zobrist.

Hellickson gave up four hits in 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out eight and walked one.

Sean Rodriguez got the Rays' first hit, a double to start the fifth. He later scored the tying run on Sutton's grounder.

Zobrist also made a couple nice catches, including a diving effort to take away a leadoff hit from Flaherty in the fifth.

NOTES: Matusz is 5-2 in eight overall starts against Tampa Bay. Hellickson has allowed two earned runs or less in eight of 11 starts this season. Baltimore acquired OF-1B Steve Pearce from the New York Yankees for cash and designated INF-OF Bill Hall for assignment. Rays manager Joe Maddon said RF Matt Joyce was out of the lineup because he is under the weather. Orioles LHP Tsuyoshi Wada, who underwent elbow ligament replacement surgery on May 11, is set to start shoulder exercises.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.