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Huff, Cabrera lead Orioles past Devil Rays

Aug 4, 2007 - 3:39 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Aubrey Huff continues to feast on his former team.

Huff's three-run home run backed up a strong effort by Daniel Cabrera as the Baltimore Orioles posted a 3-1 triumph over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Friday night.

Huff, who played for Tampa Bay from 2000-06, has hit three of his six home runs this season against the Devil Rays.

"I played here six seasons and had some good years," said Huff, who was not treated kindly by the crowd. "When (the fans) boo, it means they remember you. I have no regrets playing here. I had some of my best years here."

With Baltimore trailing, 1-0, in the fourth, Kevin Millar and Miguel Tejada hit one-out singles to set the stage for Huff, who belted a shot over the right field wall off Tampa Bay starter James Shields for the only runs Cabrera needed.

"It was a breaking ball down the middle," Shields said. "Probably not a good pitch to throw. I threw the wrong pitch, and he's a good hitter and he got me. It just so happens that out of 106 pitches, one bad one can lose the ballgame."

Against Tampa Bay this season, Huff is batting .314 with three homers and eight RBI. He is hitting just .243 against the rest of the major leagues.

"I think Huff wants to do well against anybody," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said. "He's been a guy that has produced over the years."

Huff was traded from Tampa Bay to Houston on July 18, 2006 and signed as a free agent with Baltimore last winter.

Cabrera, who was 2-6 on the road this season, defeated Tampa Bay for the second time in 11 days, allowing only one run in seven innings. He improved to 6-0 lifetime vs. the Devil Rays.

Cabrera (8-11) yielded only four hits and one walk with three strikeouts en route to just his second win since June 22. In his last 14 innings against Tampa Bay, the righthander has allowed only five hits and one run.

"Cabrera made some big pitches when he had to," Trembley said. "He's such a workhorse. He does not tire, he gets stronger as the game goes on."

Jamie Walker and former Devil Ray Danys Baez each tossed a scoreless inning, with Baez picking up his first save of the season.

Cabrera overcame his lack of control in the second inning. After allowing a double by Carlos Pena, Cabrera hit both Brendan Harris and Jonny Gomes with pitches to load the bases with one out.

He then retired Dioner Navarro on a short fly to center before walking Ben Zobrist to force in Tampa Bay's lone run. Cabrera escaped without further damage by getting Akinori Iwamura on a flyout to center.

"You could see Cabrera was really losing his command," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "It was all there for us. We can't blame anybody but ourselves for that."

Shields (8-7) lost for the seventh time in his last nine decisions, surrendering three runs and six hits with three walks and six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

"He pitched really well once again," Maddon said. "The three-run homer beat him. We had a chance to score more than their three runs. Shields could have won based on the way he pitched."

Baltimore continued its dominance against Tampa Bay, defeating the Devil Rays for the 15th time in their last 17 meetings.

The Orioles also are 13-7 since the All-Star break and have won nine of their last 13 overall.