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With 7-2 Loss To Rays, Orioles Record Franchise's Second-Worst Losing Streak

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, (AP) — Brandon Lowe hit his career-high 29th homer, Shane McClanahan won his fourth straight start, and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays handed the Baltimore Orioles their 15th consecutive loss, 7-2 on Thursday.

The Orioles also dropped 14 in a row from May 18-31. The team record losing streak is 21 games, set at the beginning of the 1988 season.

Baltimore has been outscored 138-42 during the current skid. Its starting pitchers are 0-12, allowing 63 earned runs in 61 2/3 innings.

Tampa Bay has won 11 of 14, and is 15-1 in the season series with the Orioles.

Jorge López (3-14) became the majors' first 14-game loser, allowing four runs, four hits, two walks and hitting a batter over two innings. The right-hander was checked by a trainer with two outs in the first.

Lowe connected on a two-out, two-run drive that made it 4-0 in the second. Lowe has six homers and 17 RBIs over his last 12 games.

McClanahan (8-4) gave up one run and five hits in five innings. He struck out eight and walked one.

Austin Meadows picked up his 83rd RBI with a two-out bases-loaded walk and Ji-Man Choi had a two-run single to put the Rays ahead 7-0 in the fourth. Meadows also drew a free pass with the bases loaded during a two-run first.

Baltimore's Richie Martin had a fifth-inning RBI single, and Ramón Urías hit a solo homer with two outs in the ninth.

QUIET IN HERE

The announced crowd at Tropicana Field was 5,826, bringing the total for the four-game series to 22,754.

FRUSTRATION

Orioles CF Cedric Mullins slammed his bat into the ground and broke it after popping out with a runner on second and two outs in the seventh.

NUMBERS

The Rays' magic number to eliminate Baltimore in the AL East race is six. ... The Orioles (38-82) clinched a fifth consecutive under-.500 season. ... Tampa Bay has outscored the Orioles 128-57 in the season series. ... Baltimore's Ryan Mountcastle (11 games) and Jorge Mateo (10 games) extended their hitting streaks.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Orioles: Trey Mancini (sore left calf) was the DH after missing two games. ... OF DJ Stewart (sore knee) sat out for the second consecutive day. ... RHP Hunter Harvey (right lat strain) will be evaluated after his next rehab appearance in a couple days.

Rays: C Mike Zunino (toothache) was out of the lineup. ... Manager Kevin Cash said RHP Ryan Thompson (right shoulder) felt "OK, not great" after throwing a scoreless inning Wednesday night for Triple-A Durham. ... 1B-OF Jordan Luplow (left ankle strain) was placed on the 10-day IL.

UP NEXT

Orioles: LHP Keegan Akin (0-7, 8.13 ERA) and Braves LHP Max Fried (10-7, 3.78) are Friday night's starters in Baltimore.

Rays: RHP Michael Wacha (2-4, 5.91) will face the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox and RHP Lucas Giolito (9-9, 3.83) in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night.

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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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