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First-place Rays take down Orioles in first start for Price

Sep 23, 2008 - 4:30 AM By Sean Burns PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Two days removed from celebrating the clinching of their first-ever playoff berth, the Tampa Bay Rays took another step towards the American League East Division title on Monday, rallying for a 4-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

The Rays (93-62), who didn't put a man on base until a two-out walk in the fourth and didn't record a hit until Akinori Iwamura's two-run single in the fifth, reduced their magic number to four in the division with the win and a 4-3 loss by the Boston Red Sox (91-65) to the Cleveland Indians.

Tampa Bay is 2 1/2 games head of Boston in the standings.

"That's all we care about, the wins," said Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett, who knocked home what turned out to be the game-winning run when he doubled off Baltimore's Rocky Cherry (0-3) in the seventh to score Gabe Gross, who reached on an error.

Bartlett added a double in the ninth, accounting for two of Tampa Bay's three hits.

"It doesn't matter who gets the hits or where they come, we're just looking to hang up that banner," he said. "Hopefully, we come in tomorrow and get a couple more 'Ws' and trim that magic number some more."

Pinch runner Fernando Perez also came around on Bartlett's seventh-inning hit but was called back due to fan interference with the ball down the left-field line. Perez scored two batters later when Carlos Pena drew a bases-loaded walk, his 100th RBI on the season.

"The walks, obviously tonight, played a very big role in the outcome of the game," Baltimore manager David Trembley said. "From the fourth inning on, they just sat there and took."

Both starting pitchers, Baltimore's Brian Bass and rookie phenom David Price, who made his first major league start for the Rays, cruised through the opening innings. Bass retired the first 11 batters he faced and Price set down 10 of his first 12, walking a man each in the second and third innings.

"David was very good," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said of the rookie. "(Tonight) reaffirmed what we know about his stuff; his velocity was good, and he pitched with the fastball first.

"He is willing to make the other team put the ball into play, and that'll help you get deeper into games."

Neither starter, however, factored in the decision.

Tampa Bay chased Bass after three straight two-out walks in the fifth, after which Iwamura greeted Randor Bierd with single for the 2-0 lead. Price gave up a pair in the fifth as well, loading the bases on an error and two singles before walking Juan Castro to force in a run and giving up a sacrifice fly to Brian Roberts that tied the game.

The top overall pick in the 2007 draft, Price lasted into the sixth, allowing four hits and three walks while striking out three.

"I challenged guys, pounded the zone, worked out of a few jams ... things were going my way," Price said. "I left us in a position to win the game. As a starter, that's what you have to do."

Grant Balfour (6-2) pitched 1 2/3 clean innings to earn the win for the Rays, relieving Price with one out and two on in the sixth. The righthander recorded a quick double play, getting Ramon Hernandez to line out to center and retiring Aubrey Huff, who was caught off second when Baltimore tried the hit-and-run.

"I don't know how many times (Balfour and Howell) have done that for us," Maddon said. "They've done a great job of maintaining leads or giving us a chance to come back, and that's really valuable as far as piecing a game together."

Balfour worked a perfect seventh, striking out two before J.P. Howell and Dan Wheeler - who recorded his 12th save - closed out the affair.

"We had some scoring opportunities and we didn't take advantage of it," Trembley said. "We had two crucial base-running mistakes. Obviously, (this was) a game that we didn't do enough things right to win."