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Hernandez's homer lifts Orioles over Rays

Apr 13, 2008 - 3:26 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- This time, the Baltimore Orioles were able to survive a late-inning home run by Carlos Pena.

Ramon Hernandez's two-out solo home run in the ninth inning lifted the Orioles past the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2, on Saturday.

Hernandez's game-winning hit came off reliever Dan Wheeler (0-1), who was brought in to face Hernandez after Trever Miller recorded the first two outs in the ninth.

"I tried to hit it hard, I wasn't thinking of going up there and hitting a home run," Hernandez said. "I wasn't sure if it was going to hook foul."

George Sherrill pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his American League-best fifth save.

"As far as I was concerned, as soon as Hernandez hit the home run, the game was over," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said.

With the Rays trailing, 2-1, in the eighth, Pena hit his major league-leading sixth home run to pull the Rays even at 2-2.

However, Hernandez rescued the Orioles in the ninth. Hernandez also had an RBI triple in the second as the Orioles ended a three-game losing streak and remained in first place in the American League East.

"That was definitely big that we were able to hold on," Baltimore's Nick Markakis said. "Ramon hit a big home run."

In Tampa Bay's 10-5 victory Friday night, Pena hit two home runs, including a three-run shot in the seventh, that tied the score at 5-5.

"The guy is 'The Natural,' that's the way he's swinging the bat right now," Trembley said of Pena.

For the second consecutive game, the Orioles got a quality start from their starter only to see their bullpen fail to hold the lead in the late innings.

Jamie Walker relieved Daniel Cabrera with two outs in the sixth and allowed the game-tying home run to Pena to lead off the eighth.

Cabrera, who had a 9.00 ERA after his first two starts, allowed only five hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings.

"I felt really good," Cabrera said. "I worked a lot today on the two-seamer, that's why I got a lot of ground balls."

Tampa Bay starter Jason Hammel allowed five hits and two runs in going a career-high seven innings.

"He started slowly but then he got the ball down," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "When he pitches down, he's tough. He finished strong and hung in there."

The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the first when Brian Roberts scored on a double-play groundout.

The Orioles added another run in the second. Hernandez's triple knocked in Aubrey Huff, who led off the inning with a double.

"You have to do a lot of things right to win a one-run game on the road," Trembley said.

Third baseman Evan Longoria made his major league debut for Tampa Bay. Longoria knocked in the Rays' only run with a sixth-inning single, his first career hit.

"I was nervous, I'll admit that," said Longoria, who was called up from Class AAA Durham on Friday night. "It's probably the first time in a long time. I got jammed on (his first hit) but it found a hole."

The loss ended the Rays' two-game winning streak.