Rays
Orioles
8 - 1 Final
  for this game

Orioles, Rays continue battle for AL East supremacy

Apr 30, 2008 - 1:34 PM Tampa Bay (14-12) at Baltimore (15-11) 7:05 pm EDT

BALTIMORE (Ticker) - An April series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles has traditionally been a battle to stay out of the American League East basement. This season, it means a battle for first place.

The Orioles hope to, at the very least, maintain a share of first place in the AL East on Wednesday when they host the Rays in the second game of a three-game set.

Tampa Bay has finished last in the division in nine of its first 10 years in the league. Meanwhile, Baltimore hasn't been much better as a nearly perennial fourth-place club during the past 10 years.

However, this season has seen a reversal of fortunes for both franchises. The Orioles have won four of their last six to move into a tie with the Boston Red Sox atop the division, with the last of those wins snapping Tampa Bay's six-game win streak on Tuesday, 7-4.

On Wednesday, Baltimore will turn to Brian Burres (3-1, 2.49 ERA), who is coming off the longest outing of his career. He allowed three hits and striking out four in eight innings in Baltimore's 5-1 win on Saturday over the Chicago White Sox.

The lefthander hasn't surrendered a run over 13 2/3 innings since permitting six in his only loss of the season - a 6-2 setback against the Rays on April 13.

His counterpart on the mound will be Andy Sonnanstine (3-1, 5.28), who will look to put his past struggles against the Orioles behind him. In three career starts vs. Baltimore, he is 1-2 with an 8.04 ERA.

In his last start Thursday, the righthander yielded three runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings in a 5-3 win over Toronto.








  • AL
    FINAL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    TAMPA BAY 0 1 0 2 0 0 5 0 0 8 9 0
    BALTIMORE 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 1 (FINAL)

    BATTERIES: TAM - ANDY SONNANSTINE, KURT BIRKINS (9TH) AND DIONER NAVARRO
    BAL - MATT ALBERS, BOB MCCRORY (7TH), DENNIS SARFATE
    (7TH), JIM JOHNSON (9TH) AND RAMON HERNANDEZ

    HO

    Apr 30 10:06 PM


  • AL
    AT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY DIONER NAVARRO SCORED B.J. UPTON AND CARLOS PENA.
    SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, D NAVARRO ON FIRST, E HINSKE ON THIRD, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 8
    BALTIMORE 1 TOP, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: G GROSS (.125, 1-FOR-2, SF, RBI)

    Rays 8, Orioles 1  Top 7, 0 OutsApr 30 9:17 PM


  • AL
    AT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY CARLOS PENA SCORED AKINORI IWAMURA AND CARL
    CRAWFORD.
    SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, C PENA ON FIRST, B UPTON ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 6
    BALTIMORE 1 TOP, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: E LONGORIA (.283, 1-FOR-2, HBP)

    Rays 6, Orioles 1  Top 7, 0 OutsApr 30 9:07 PM


  • AL
    AT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY B.J. UPTON SCORED GABE GROSS.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B UPTON ON FIRST, C CRAWFORD ON SECOND, A
    IWAMURA ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 4
    BALTIMORE 1 TOP, 7TH
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C PENA (.193, 0-FOR-3)

    Rays 4, Orioles 1  Top 7, 0 OutsApr 30 9:01 PM


  • AL
    AT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATE
    TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY ERIC HINSKE (6) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN
    THE 4TH OFF MATT ALBERS SCORED EVAN LONGORIA.
    CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 3, BALTIMORE 1
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: D NAVARRO (.419, 1-FOR-1)

    Rays 3, Orioles 1  Top 4, 0 OutsApr 30 8:06 PM


  • AL
    AT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY BRIAN ROBERTS SCORED ADAM JONES.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B ROBERTS ON FIRST, L HERNANDEZ ON THIRD, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 1
    BALTIMORE 1 BOTTOM, 3RD
    DUE UP FOR BALTIMORE: M MORA (.245, 0-FOR-1)

    Rays 1, Orioles 1  Bot 3, 0 OutsApr 30 7:52 PM


  • AL
    AT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATE
    SACRIFICE FLY BY GABE GROSS SCORED EVAN LONGORIA.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D NAVARRO ON FIRST, E HINSKE ON THIRD, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 1
    BALTIMORE 0 TOP, 2ND
    DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: J BARTLETT (.209, 0 HR, 6 RBI)

    Rays 1, Orioles 0  Top 2, 0 OutsApr 30 7:30 PM

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