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Rays finish off series victory against Astros

Jun 23, 2014 - 1:11 AM St. Petersburg, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Yunel Escobar gave Tampa Bay the lead with a two-run single in the sixth and the Rays went on to post a 5-2 victory over the Houston Astros at Tropicana Field.

Sean Rodriguez also had two RBI as the Rays took three of four from Houston in this series.

Evan Longoria finished with three of Tampa Bay's nine hits and knocked in a run, while starter Erik Bedard earned a no-decision after allowing two runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked one.

"We're getting more wins right now, being more consistent. We're hitting, we're pitching pretty good," Bedard said.

Dallas Keuchel (8-5) went the distance for Houston, surrendering five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits and four walks in eight frames.

"There was no intention on taking (Keuchel) out," said Astros manager Bo Porter.

Bedard exited after giving up consecutive one-out singles in the sixth. Juan Carlos Oviedo (3-2) unleashed a wild pitch with two outs, but got Robbie Grossman on a groundout to second.

Tampa Bay moved ahead in the bottom of the inning after loading the bases with nobody out on a walk and two singles. Escobar hit a one-out chopper to right field, and Longoria advanced to third on George Springer's fielding error.

The mistake proved costly when the Astros were unable to turn a double play on a Rodriguez grounder, allowing Longoria to score to make it 4-2.

Rodriguez added a sacrifice fly in the eighth before Joel Peralta picked up his first save of the season with a flawless ninth.

Dexter Fowler drove Bedard's first pitch of the game to left field for a home run, but the Rays tied the game in the bottom of the first.

Ben Zobrist worked a one-out walk and after Brandon Guyer was hit by a pitch, Longoria lined a single to left field that scored Zobrist.

Two replay challenges went in the Astros' favor in the third, helping them take a 2-1 lead and maintain it.

Jonathan Villar ripped a ball down the third-base line past a diving Longoria for a leadoff double. Villar was then thrown out attempting to steal third, but the Astros challenged the play and the out call was overturned. He then came home on Jose Altuve's one-out single to center.

In the bottom of the frame, Desmond Jennings tried to steal home on catcher Carlos Corporan's throw back to the mound, and Keuchel threw him out as Corporan applied the tag on Jennings' left hand. The out call stood after a Tampa Bay challenge.

Game Notes

The Rays also took two of three in Houston last week ... Tampa Bay recorded just its third series win at home this season ... The Astros were 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight.