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Cabrera, bullpen pitch two-hitter as Orioles shut out Devil Rays

Jul 25, 2007 - 3:42 AM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Daniel Cabrera got the best of Scott Kazmir in a pitchers' duel.

Cabrera pitched seven superb innings and Aubrey Huff drove in the key run as the Baltimore Orioles posted a 3-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Tuesday.

Chris Gomez had three hits for Baltimore, which has won four straight at home. It was also the second straight shutout for the Orioles, who blanked the Oakland Athletics, 2-0, on Sunday.

Cabrera (7-10) was outstanding, yielding just one hit while striking out three to improve his record to 5-0 vs. Tampa Bay.

"There's only one other time I saw Cabrera throw like this," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "It was the time before when I was managing in Bowie, and I think it was a noon game and he struck out 11. We got on the bus that night and went to Akron and when I got there, they called me, and he went to the big leagues."

The big righthander, who entered the game as the American League leader in walks allowed, did issue five free passes to give him 73 for the season.

"Sometimes I have struggled a lit bit with my control but tonight I was able to put everything together and my teammates played good behind me," Cabrera said.

However three of those base on balls were wiped out by double plays.

"Obviously the guys behind him made the plays," Trembley added. "That's not so easy when there's so many swing and miss pitches and guys aren't putting the ball in play. The guys behind him did a real nice job. The double play ball was unique for us tonight."

It was a much better performance than his recent performances where the 26-year-old Dominican was 0-2 with a 6.44 ERA in five outings.

Reliever Paul Shuey pitched a scoreless eighth before Jamie Walker came on in the ninth to record his second save in three opportunities.

Kazmir was nearly equal through five innings, allowing only four hits and striking out seven. However, the 23-year-old ran into trouble in the next two innings.

In the bottom of the sixth, Nick Markakis led off with a base hit up the middle, moved to second on a groundout before scoring when Huff grounded a single to left field.

"I have seen Kazmir pitch enough having been on his team, but tonight was the first time I have faced him and can see how he gets guys out," Huff said. "To be honest with you, I was beat there and hit the ball through the left side."

The Orioles touched Kazmir again in the seventh. Luis Hernandez hit a one-out single before stealing second one out later. After Corey Patterson and Markakis walked to load the bases, Kazmir walked Kevin Millar to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead.

"The ball was where he wanted it to be all night up until the end there," Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "He just overthrew, particularly in that last at-bat, but he had a great night and that's really good to see."

After Maddon replaced Kazmir with Juan Salas, Ramon Hernandez drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch for a 3-0 lead.

"That's a tough situation to bring Salas into," Maddon added. "I was really hoping to not have to do that. He just came back up from Class AAA Durham. He threw a first-pitch strike to Hernandez and then ended up walking him."

Kazmir (7-7) finished the game allowing three runs, seven hits and three walks. The lefthander, who struck out a total of eight batters, was looking to win his third straight game.

B.J. Upton had both hits for the Devil Rays, who have lost four straight and five of six.