Olson shines; Orioles end Rays' six-game winning streak with 7-4 win
By DAVID GINSBURG | Associated Press | Apr 29, 08 9:37 PM CDT in
Sports
Garrett Olson took a shutout into the seventh inning, and the Baltimore Orioles ended the Tampa Bay Rays' six-game winning streak with a 7-4 victory Tuesday night in a surprising duel for first place in the AL East.
Aubrey Huff homered and Melvin Mora had two RBIs for the Orioles, who broke a tie atop the division with Tampa Bay. Both teams usually reside in the lower tier of the standings, but each has gotten off to an unexpected solid start while Boston, the New York Yankees and Toronto have struggled.
Recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the game, Olson (1-0) gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings, walking five and striking out six. The left-hander was summoned after a rainout forced Baltimore to play four games in three days, leaving manager Dave Trembley short of rested starting pitchers.
Olson proved to be the perfect stand-in. He retired the first seven batters and came within one out of blanking the Rays through seven innings in his finest performance in the big leagues. Olson made his debut last season and went 1-3 with a 7.79 ERA in seven starts.
Baltimore led 7-0 before Tampa Bay scored four runs in the seventh. A two-out RBI double by Akinori Iwamura chased Olson, and Carl Crawford followed with a run-scoring single off Randor Bierd before B.J. Upton hit his third homer.
George Sherrill, the fourth Baltimore reliever, got three outs for his 10th save.
Tampa Bay's Jason Hammel (2-2) allowed three runs, six hits and four walks in 2 2-3 innings, the shortest of his 28 career starts in the big leagues. The right-hander had gone at least six innings in his previous three starts this season.
Hammel escaped damage after walking the bases loaded first, then allowed run-scoring singles to Mora and Nick Markakis in the second. Both were stranded when right fielder Eric Hinske made a diving grab of Kevin Millar's opposite-field, two-out liner to right.
Olson worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third by retiring Crawford on a fielder's choice and striking out Upton.
Ramon Hernandez hit an RBI double in the bottom half for a 3-0 lead, but Adam Jones fell rounding third base on the play and was an easy out at the plate.
A run-scoring double by Brian Roberts, a sacrifice fly by Mora and a two-run homer by Huff made it 7-0 in the sixth.
Notes:@ Tampa Bay needs a win Wednesday to earn the first winning April in franchise history. ... Hernandez went 2-for-2 against Hammel and is 7-for-14 lifetime against him. ... Huff has a team-high five homers compared to four through May 31 last season.
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