Davis' Slam Helps Orioles Beat Rays 7-5
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- David DeJesus ran out of room and crashed into the wall, resulting in a grand slam for Baltimore's Chris Davis in the Orioles' 7-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
DeJesus, the Rays' left fielder, was about to reach for Davis' towering, opposite-field drive off Erik Bedard in the third inning when the wall stopped him cold. After an initial ruling that the ball had hit off the wall, a replay confirmed that it had struck the bottom of the foul pole, giving Davis his third career slam and the Orioles a 5-0 lead. The review took 1 minute, 18 seconds.
It was Davis' 12th homer of the season.
"I was going to catch it right at the pole, so I'd do the same thing again, but I don't want to do that again," DeJesus said. "I hope he doesn't hit it there anymore."
"I was glad to see him get up," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He hit that wall pretty hard ... the baseball gods were kind to us tonight."
After the Rays cut the lead to 5-4, the Orioles got a two-run homer from Steve Pearce in the seventh.
"That was the one that was tough to come back from," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "That made it difficult."
Sean Rodriguez and Desmond Jennings homered for Tampa Bay, which is 5-16 in its last 21 games. Rodriguez and Jennings hit consecutive solo homers off Miguel Gonzalez (4-4).
Tampa Bay made it 5-4 on James Loney's two-run double during the fifth.
Gonzalez, activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings. He had been out since May 31 due to a strained right oblique. Zach Britton pitched the ninth for his eighth save.
Bedard (3-5) gave up five runs and four hits over four-plus innings, his fifth start of four innings or less.
"It really comes down to starting pitching drives the engine, and Frenchy (Bedard) had a tough day," Maddon said. "We actually played a good game, we just didn't pitch well tonight."
NOTES: Maddon confirmed that Bedard will remain in the rotation, at least for his next start. ... Baltimore C Matt Wieters had season-ending right elbow ligament replacement surgery. The Orioles are hopeful that he will be ready for opening day next year. ... Tampa Bay RHP Jeremy Hellickson (elbow) struggled in his third rehab start with Triple-A Durham, allowing seven runs and 12 hits in 2 2-3 innings. ... Baltimore INF Michael Almanzar (left knee) is scheduled play for the rookie-level GCL Orioles on Friday. ... The Rays signed RHP Brent Honeywell, taken 72nd overall in the 2014 draft. ... To make room on the roster for Gonzalez, RHP Josh Stinson was designated for assignment. ... Orioles RHP Kevin Gausman (2-1) and Rays RHP Alex Cobb (2-4) are the scheduled starters for Wednesday's series finale.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
