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Markakis drives home winning run as Orioles end slide

May 5, 2007 - 4:04 AM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Nick Markakis ended the Baltimore Orioles' losing streak in thrilling fashion.

Markakis lined a walk-off single in the 10th inning to plate Jay Payton and lift the Orioles to a 3-2 triumph over the Cleveland Indians on Friday.

It was just the second victory in the last 11 games for Baltimore, which snapped a four-game slide that began with a 6-1 loss Sunday at Cleveland.

"It was definitely big," Markakis said. "(Starter Erik) Bedard kept us in the game and our bullpen did an outstanding job, too. Hopefully if they can keep that up, it will allow us to start swinging the bats better."

Payton led off the 10th with a sharp single against righthander Tom Mastny (2-1), who made a pivotal error on the following play, when Corey Patterson dropped down a perfect bunt between first and second.

"It is kind of one of those things where you have to pay attention and take what they give you," Patterson said. "I saw (third baseman Casey Blake) pretty much in, so I knew in my mind I was going to the first base side."

Patterson would have been safe anyway, but Mastny flipped the ball past first baseman Victor Martinez, allowing Payton to advance to third.

"I probably should have held the ball," Mastny said. "But it was spur of the moment, and I was trying to get him out."

Brian Roberts was intentionally walked to set the stage for Markakis, who lined Mastny's 1-0 offering past Martinez to plate Payton and set off a wild celebration at the plate.

"You are up there looking to hit a fly ball or looking for a hole, and that is what I got," Markakis said.

Righthanded closer Chris Ray (3-2) worked two scoreless innings to notch the win for the Orioles, working around a pair of hits and striking out one.

Baltimore threatened in the ninth, when Melvin Mora tapped a one-out grounder to third baseman Casey Blake, who made a nice pickup but uncorked a wild throw over the head of Martinez.

Cleveland avoided trouble, however, when Mastny struck out Jay Gibbons and catcher Kelly Shoppach threw out Mora, who was attempting to steal second.

Payton gave Baltimore a 1-0 lead with one out in the third inning, blasting starter Paul Byrd's 0-2 offering over the wall for his first homer of the season.

But the Indians rallied to take a 2-1 lead in the fifth against Bedard. Jhonny Peralta led off with a single and Blake followed by blasting Bedard's 2-2 offering over the wall in left field for his second homer of the season.

However, Baltimore forged a 2-2 tie in the eighth against hard-throwing righthander Rafael Betancourt, one of Cleveland's top setup men.

Patterson lined a one-out double off Betancourt and advanced to third on Roberts' single. Markakis drew the Orioles even with a long sacrifice fly to left field, plating Patterson with the tying run.

"That was a big win, we needed it and the guys, I give them a lot of credit," Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo said. "They went out there and kept battling, and some good things happened."

The late breakdown by Betancourt squandered a solid outing from Byrd, who worked 6 2/3 outstanding innings. The veteran righthander yielded only one run and six hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

"Byrd pitched a great game," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "He did a great job. He's been pretty consistent this year. His stuff's been crisp. He's been more consistent, he's stronger."

Bedard allowed two runs and three hits with two walks and four strikeouts in six innings but remained winless in his last three starts. The lefthander threw 61-of-105 pitches for strikes.