The Sports Xchange
Jul 2, 2017
BALTIMORE -- Kevin Gausman threw seven scoreless innings, Manny Machado had a three-run homer and the Baltimore Orioles avoided a three-game sweep with a 7-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
Mark Trumbo also homered for Baltimore, which plays seven straight road games heading into the All-Star break. Tampa Bay still managed its first series win at Camden Yards in two years.
Gausman (5-7) appears to have put some of his early season struggles behind him. He did not allow a hit until Logan Morrison managed a two-out single in the fourth.
Gausman allowed just two hits with a season-tying high nine strikeouts and two walks. He has given up three runs over his past 18 innings, including another 5 1/3 shutout innings Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Rays manager Kevin Cash fractured his left ankle running near Camden Yards early Sunday morning but did not miss the game. Catcher Jesus Sucre ended the shutout bid with a solo homer in the eighth off Mychal Givens.
Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb entered the game 4-1 with a 2.00 ERA in nine starts against the Orioles. This time, though, the Orioles took advantage of some miscues to open a 4-0 lead in the third.
Cobb (6-6) hit shortstop Ruben Tejada in the shoulder to put runners on first and second. After a sacrifice bunt by Joey Rickard advanced both players, Cobb had a throwing error on a grounder by Seth Smith that allowed the first run to score. Machado then followed with a three-run shot to left.
Trumbo led off the fourth with a towering home run that boosted the lead to 5-0. A two-run double by Smith increased the lead to 7-0 in the seventh and ended the day for Cobb, who finished with six earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk.
NOTES: Baltimore recalled RHP Jimmy Yacabonis from Triple-A Norfolk. To make room, RHP Alec Asher was optioned to the Tides. ... Rays SS Tim Beckham was back in the lineup after missing the previous game with a sore ankle. ... Baltimore RHP Chris Tillman will not travel with the team Monday to Milwaukee because his wife is overdue with their first child. Tillman is scheduled to start Wednesday against the Brewers, but the Orioles have a contingency plan in place in case he cannot pitch.