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Wieters' late homer pushes O's past Rays

Sep 14, 2011 - 4:14 AM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Matt Wieters crushed a go-ahead two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, sending the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the middle tilt of a three- game series at Camden Yards.

Pinch-hitter Jake Fox ripped an RBI double and J.J. Hardy collected two hits, including a double, for the Orioles, who snapped a three-game skid.

Troy Patton (1-1) worked one inning of scoreless relief to pick up his first major league win, and Jim Johnson recorded the final out to earn his fifth save of the season.

Evan Longoria cracked a two-run homer and a double, while Johnny Damon added a hit and a stolen base for the Rays, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

With the loss and victory by the Red Sox over Toronto on Tuesday, Tampa Bay now trails Boston by four games in the race for the American League wild card.

"You can't help but watch, the scoreboard is right in your face," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of the chase for the wild card. "Realistically we're not going to win the rest of our games, hopefully we only lose a couple."

J.P. Howell (2-3) was saddled with the loss after giving up Wieters' decisive home run.

In the eighth, Vladimir Guerrero slapped a two-out single and was removed for pinch-runner Adam Jones. With Jones on first and Wieters at the plate, Howell threw over to first numerous times, clearly distracted by the prospect of Jones running. When Jones broke on a 1-1 pitch, Howell left a changeup out over the plate and Wieters hammered it into the left field seats to give the O's the lead.

"It was a great at-bat," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He's been a rock for us, he's gotten better every year he's been here and I'm proud of him."

Baltimore jumped out in front early in its first at-bat when Hardy roped a one-out double off the right field scoreboard and came around to score on a throwing error by Sean Rodriguez. Following a Guerrero groundout, Wieters drew a walk to put two men on with two down, but Rays starter David Price recovered to limit the damage by getting Mark Reynolds to tap one back to the mound to end the inning.

Tampa Bay mounted a threat in the top of the second when Damon singled and stole second, Matt Joyce walked and Casey Kotchman ripped a single up the middle to load the bases with no outs. Incredibly, Orioles' starter Alfredo Simon got out of the jam. He fanned John Jaso for out number one, then induced a 6-4-3 double play from Rodriguez to keep the Rays off the board.

With two outs in the fifth, the O's had a shot to widen their lead when Robert Andino ripped a ball to left which carried to the wall before Desmond Jennings made a leaping catch to take away a homer.

Tampa Bay took the lead in the sixth. B.J. Upton coaxed a one-out walk from Simon and Longoria followed by depositing a hanging curveball into the left field seats for a 2-1 advantage.

In the home seventh, Nolan Reimold worked a one-out walk and stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. Ryan Adams struck out, leaving it up to Fox. who came through in the clutch, ripping a fastball down the middle into the left-center field gap.

Game Notes

Tampa Bay leads the season series, 9-8...Simon lasted seven strong innings, giving up two runs on six hits while striking out a career high nine and walking two...With a stolen base in the second inning, Damon stole the 400th base of his career...Andino extended his hitting streak to 10 games...Price worked 6 2/3 innings, yielding two runs -- one earned -- on four hits while fanning six and walking three.