The Orioles threatened in the top of the first, putting runners on first and second with two outs, but managed to escape unscathed. The Rays responded in the bottom of the inning, as Evan Longoria drove in Ben Zobrist for the first run of the game. Tampa added two more in the bottom of the third, on RBI singles from Yunel Escobar and Zobrist to take a 3-0 lead.

Hellickson cruised along until the top of the fifth, when it appeared as though the Orioles may be putting together a rally. With runners on first and second and no one out, Hellickson struck out Chris Dickerson, then got a fielder’s choice and a fly out to end the threat.

At that point, the Rays broke the game open. Zobrist doubled to lead off the inning, and moved to third on a line out. After a walk put runners on first and third, James Loney singled to drive in a run. Another walk loaded the bases, bringing up Luke Scott. The former Oriole came through against his old team, slugging a bases clearing triple, and coming around to score one batter later on Jose Lobaton‘s double to deep center.

That was all the support that Hellickson needed, as he pitched six solid innings, giving up four hits while striking out five. The bullpen held down the Orioles offense, completing the four hit shutout as the Rays won 8-0.

Scott went 1-3 with a triple, two RBIs, a walk and two runs scored. Zobrist had an excellent day with the bat, going 3-5 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored.

Both Archer and Orioles starter Jason Hammel were pitching well, as neither offense was able to get much going. The Orioles struck first, putting runners on first and second with two outs. Manny Machado had a base hit to center, scoring Chris Dickerson to give Baltimore the 1-0 lead. The Rays had a chance in the bottom of the inning, putting runners on first and second themselves with two outs and Kelly Johnson at the plate. However, Johnson flew out to right to end the threat.

From that point, Archer was in command, setting down twelve of the thirteen batters he faced after the third as he cruised through the Orioles lineup. Meanwhile, Hammel was giving up baserunners, but managed to keep the Rays off the scoreboard as he matched Archer zero for zero.

The Rays finally got to Hammel in the seventh. James Loney led off the inning with a base hit, and Desmond Jennings followed with a two run home run to dead center, putting the Rays on top. After two outs, the Rays threatened to score again, putting runners on first and second. Hammel was pulled at that point in favor of Troy Patton, who gave up a long fly ball to Ben Zobrist, but it was tracked down in center to end the inning.

The bullpen shut down the Orioles the rest of the way, with Fernando Rodney looking like his 2012 self as he recorded his thirteenth save of the season in the 2-1 victory. Archer gave up the one run on two hits and two walks, striking out two. He showed much better command in his second start, throwing 53 of his 84 pitches for strikes. Loney was 2-4 with a double and a run scored.

Matt Moore, dominant once again, goes seven strong innings to help complete the sweep in Baltimore improving to 8-0 on the season.  Not striking out as many as usual, only fanning 3 while walking just 1, yet still effective while on surrendering 5 hits and 1 run throwing just 106 pitches and letting his fielders do the work for him.

The scoring began in the top of the third as the Rays struck first with some clutch 2 out hits.  After 2 outs Yunel Escobar managed to draw a 2 out walk off Orioles starter Chris Tillman.  Desmond Jennings, coming into the game with a four game hit streak,  quickly fell behind 0-2 but battled back to a full count.  Jennings’ battle at the plate paid off with Escobar was running on the pitch, Jennings laced a double down the left field line, scoring Escobar and giving the Rays a 1-0 lead.

During the bottom half of the frame Moore got himself into trouble as DH Danny Valencia crushed a lead-off double to left center field.  Yamaico Navarro then dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Valencia to third.  With a man on third and 1 out Moore was able to get out of the inning unscathed, getting Chris Snyder and Nick Markakis on consecutive ground outs.

The Orioles tied the game at 1 apiece in the bottom of the fourth on the heels of a lead-off triple by the red-hot Manny Machado with a misplayed ball in the outfield by Matt Joyce & Desmond Jennings.  A fly ball between them that no one called and fell out of the glove of Joyce and rolling to the wall allowing Machado to take third.  Adam Jones then laced a single past an extended Escobar for the RBI.  Adam Jones then managed to steal 2nd & 3rd as Moore failed to pay attention to the runner with the Orioles perhaps taking advantage of Jose Molina sitting today with Jose Lobaton behind the plate for the day.  Luckily Moore got out of the jam with consecutive fly ball outs.

Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead in the 5th on a solo blast by former Oriole Luke Scott, his 3rd of the season.  During the 6th inning Tampa Bay caught a break on a solo blast by Matt Joyce, his 8th of the year, on a reviewable call by the umpires as it looked like the ball may have been either foul or a double at worst.  A strange area the ball struck, according to the announcers, should have been called a double.  The Rays took a 3-1 lead at that point.

Joel Peralta & Fernando Rodney both managed a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th & 9th to shut down the Orioles.

Evan Longoria, managing just a 1-4 performance, extended his now career high hit streak to 13 games.

Up next for the 23-20 Rays is a 3 game series with the Toronto Blue Jays beginning Monday at 1:07 in the Rogers Centre as top prospect Jake Odorizzi (0-0, 0.00 ERA) takes the mound for his first start of the season against last year’s NL Cy Young award winner RA Dickey (3-5, 4.83 ERA).