Ramon Hernandez Homers in the Ninth to Lead Baltimore Past Tampa Bay 3-2
Associated Press | Apr 12, 08 9:07 PM CDT in
Sports
Ramon Hernandez hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the ninth inning to lead the Baltimore Orioles past the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Saturday night.
Hernandez, who also had a run-scoring triple, gave Baltimore a 3-2 lead on his two-out homer off Dan Wheeler (0-1). The Orioles stopped a three-game losing streak.
Chad Bradford (1-1) worked a scoreless inning for the victory. George Sherrill pitched the ninth for his fifth save in five opportunities.
Carlos Pena homered for the second straight day off Orioles reliever Jamie Walker, a solo shot in the eighth that tied it at 2. Pena has three homers and seven RBIs in the first two games of the three-game series.
Evan Longoria, taken third overall in the 2006 amateur draft by Tampa Bay, went 1-for-3 with a walk in his major league debut. The third baseman pulled the Rays within 2-1 on his first career hit, a groundball run-scoring single to left in the sixth.
Ramon Hernandez had an RBI triple in the second that put the Orioles ahead 2-0. It was his sixth career triple, coming on his 3,545th at-bat. Baltimore scored a run in the first when Nick Markakis hit into a double play.
Tampa Bay right-hander Jason Hammel gave up two runs and five hits in a career-best seven innings. Orioles starter Daniel Cabrera allowed one run and five hits over 6 2-3 innings.
Notes:@ Markakis stayed in the game after getting hit by a pitch on the lower part of the left arm in the eighth. ... Rays ace Scott Kazmir (left elbow) played catch one day after a 46-pitch batting practice session. He is scheduled to throw two innings in an extended spring training game Tuesday. ... Tampa Bay RHP Matt Garza (right arm nerve irritation) resumed playing catch. ... Rays RHP Jeff Niemann, taken fourth overall in the 2004 amateur draft, will make his major league debut Sunday. ... Orioles RHP Matt Albers will start Monday's game against Toronto. RHP Jim Johnson will replace Albers as the long man out of the bullpen.
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