Recap: Tampa Bay vs. Baltimore
Sports Network | August 29, 2008
St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Ben Zobrist smacked a grand slam and Cliff Floyd drove in five runs as the Tampa Bay Rays crushed the Baltimore Orioles 14-3 in the first of three weekend games at Tropicana Field. The win guarantees the Rays their first winning season in franchise history, as the club now stands at 82-51 after winning five of their last seven. Floyd was 3-for-4 with two doubles and a walk, while Gabe Gross and Shawn Riggans hit solo home runs for the victors. Gross and B.J. Upton each added three hits in helping Tampa stay 4 1/2 games ahead of Boston in the AL East. The offensive barrage allowed Scott Kazmir (10-6) to get the win, as the lefty allowed just three hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 5 1/3 scoreless frames. Jeremy Guthrie (10-11) was roughed up for seven runs on seven hits and six walks in three-plus innings for the Orioles, who have lost six of seven. Aubrey Huff was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in defeat. Floyd started his big day by doubling home Upton in the first, and the Rays tacked on two more in the second as Guthrie couldn't find the strike zone. With a runner on and two outs, the Baltimore starter walked four straight to force in a pair of runs, and Tampa led 3-0. After Floyd's bases-loaded double brought in two more in the fourth, Guthrie made an early exit in favor of Fernando Cabrera, who didn't fare much better. A one-out, intentional walk to Eric Hinske backfired when Zobrist smoked a shot over the right field wall for his first career grand slam. Gross followed with a solo shot to straightaway center and Tampa suddenly led 10-0. The Rays weren't satisfied with the lead as consecutive run-scoring singles by Upton and Carlos Pena was followed up by a sacrifice fly from Floyd in the sixth. The Orioles finally got on the board in the seventh when Juan Castro doubled home Jay Payton, and the visitors added two more in the eighth as Huff and Luke Scott brought in a run apiece. Riggans smacked his sixth homer of the year to begin the home eighth to make up the final tally. Game Notes Kazmir reached double-digit wins for the fourth straight season...Despite scoring 14 runs, the Rays left 11 on base, while the O's stranded nine...Tampa has won nine of its 12 meetings with the O's this season, including six of the seven matchups in St. Petersburg...Baltimore catcher Ramon Hernandez was ejected in the fourth inning by home plate umpire Sam Holbrook for arguing balls and strikes...Tampa leadoff hitter Akinori Iwamura had two hits, including a triple, with a pair of walks and three runs scored. Game Notes Kazmir reached double-digit wins for the fourth straight season...Despite scoring 14 runs, the Rays left 11 on base, while the O's stranded nine...Tampa has won nine of its 12 meetings with the O's this season, including six of the seven matchups in St. Petersburg...Baltimore catcher Ramon Hernandez was ejected in the fourth inning by home plate umpire Sam Holbrook for arguing balls and strikes...Tampa leadoff hitter Akinori Iwamura had two hits, including a triple, with a pair of walks and three runs scored.
