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05-17-2003, 11:57 AM
Bawlmer gets beat by a batter named Aubrey and a pitcher who walks 6 and worked into the 7th inning for only the 2nd time in his career :hmm: And JJ's comments about his fastball, or lack of, could be disconcerting ... Nanner's not going to like this ... Orioles need to get it in gear for Saturday's game or they'll let the lowly TBDR's tie them for 4th in the AL East.
AP Story @ ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=230516101)
Huff & McClung topple O's 5-1
BALTIMORE (AP) --- Aubrey Huff is doing his part to pull the Tampa Bay Devil Rays out of last place in the AL East.
Huff doubled twice, singled and drove in two runs as the Devil Rays handed the Baltimore Orioles their season-high sixth consecutive loss, 5-1 Friday night.
After not recording a victory by four or more runs in the season's first 39 games, the Devil Rays have accomplished that feat in consecutive days. Friday's victory moved Tampa Bay within a game of fourth-place Baltimore.
"Being here for three years, you lose so much that you get in a little groove and then you feel on top of the world,'' Huff said.
Huff has enjoyed a productive three weeks. In his last 18 games, he is 26-for-74 (.351) with nine home runs and 13 RBIs.
Huff has seven homers this month - two shy of Fred McGriff's club record for May set in 1999 - and 11 of his last 16 hits are for extra bases.
"He laced those two balls into the right-field corner,'' Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella said. "The ball jumps off his bat real well. Huff is our big guy in the middle part of the lineup, power-wise.''
Seth McClung (4-1) pitched 6 1-3 innings of four-hit ball for the last-place Devil Rays, who have won two straight and five of seven.
McClung allowed one run, walked six and struck out three in the second-longest outing of his career.
The Orioles again played without manager Mike Hargrove, whose mother died May 12. He is expected to rejoin the team for Saturday's game.
Bench coach Sam Perlozzo went 4-8 in two stints as interim manager in Hargrove's absence. The Orioles have been outscored 35-13 on their current skid and have only four runs in their last four games.
"I'm sure there's some pressing going on,'' said Perlozzo. "We've got some guys who aren't hitting.''
Jason Tyner led off the game with a single and Rocco Baldelli drew a one-out walk from Jason Johnson (4-2). Huff doubled down the right-field line to score Tyner, but shortstop Deivi Cruz's relay caught Baldelli at home.
The Devil Rays extended the lead with a three-run third. With one out, Tyner walked and went to third on Marlon Anderson's double. Baldelli drove in a run with a groundout and Huff and Travis Lee followed with RBI doubles.
Baltimore loaded the bases with none out in the fourth. Tony Batista's sacrifice fly made it 4-1, but McClung worked out of the jam.
Tampa Bay chased Johnson in the fifth. Tyner singled to open the inning, moved up on a groundout and scored on Baldelli's single up the middle.
Travis Driskill replaced Johnson and gave up a single to Huff before getting Lee to hit into a double play.
"I don't think I threw a fastball tonight where I wanted to all night, if you can call it a fastball,'' Johnson said. "I didn't have anything on it, I couldn't locate it. It was a wasted pitch.''
Notes: The Devil Rays activated SS Julio Lugo and recalled RHP Brandon Backe from Triple-A Durham on Friday. LHP John Rocker and SS Antonio Perez were sent to Double-A Orlando. ... Tyner has a hit in all six games in which he's played since being recalled from Triple-A Durham on May 9. ... Orioles 2B Jerry Hairston, the AL stolen base leader with 12 thefts, was caught stealing for the fifth time this season. Last year, Hairston was thrown out six times in 27 attempts. ... The all-time series between the teams is tied at 43. ... Johnson has received six runs of support in his last three starts
BOXSCORE @ ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=230516101)
AP Story @ ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=230516101)
Huff & McClung topple O's 5-1
BALTIMORE (AP) --- Aubrey Huff is doing his part to pull the Tampa Bay Devil Rays out of last place in the AL East.
Huff doubled twice, singled and drove in two runs as the Devil Rays handed the Baltimore Orioles their season-high sixth consecutive loss, 5-1 Friday night.
After not recording a victory by four or more runs in the season's first 39 games, the Devil Rays have accomplished that feat in consecutive days. Friday's victory moved Tampa Bay within a game of fourth-place Baltimore.
"Being here for three years, you lose so much that you get in a little groove and then you feel on top of the world,'' Huff said.
Huff has enjoyed a productive three weeks. In his last 18 games, he is 26-for-74 (.351) with nine home runs and 13 RBIs.
Huff has seven homers this month - two shy of Fred McGriff's club record for May set in 1999 - and 11 of his last 16 hits are for extra bases.
"He laced those two balls into the right-field corner,'' Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella said. "The ball jumps off his bat real well. Huff is our big guy in the middle part of the lineup, power-wise.''
Seth McClung (4-1) pitched 6 1-3 innings of four-hit ball for the last-place Devil Rays, who have won two straight and five of seven.
McClung allowed one run, walked six and struck out three in the second-longest outing of his career.
The Orioles again played without manager Mike Hargrove, whose mother died May 12. He is expected to rejoin the team for Saturday's game.
Bench coach Sam Perlozzo went 4-8 in two stints as interim manager in Hargrove's absence. The Orioles have been outscored 35-13 on their current skid and have only four runs in their last four games.
"I'm sure there's some pressing going on,'' said Perlozzo. "We've got some guys who aren't hitting.''
Jason Tyner led off the game with a single and Rocco Baldelli drew a one-out walk from Jason Johnson (4-2). Huff doubled down the right-field line to score Tyner, but shortstop Deivi Cruz's relay caught Baldelli at home.
The Devil Rays extended the lead with a three-run third. With one out, Tyner walked and went to third on Marlon Anderson's double. Baldelli drove in a run with a groundout and Huff and Travis Lee followed with RBI doubles.
Baltimore loaded the bases with none out in the fourth. Tony Batista's sacrifice fly made it 4-1, but McClung worked out of the jam.
Tampa Bay chased Johnson in the fifth. Tyner singled to open the inning, moved up on a groundout and scored on Baldelli's single up the middle.
Travis Driskill replaced Johnson and gave up a single to Huff before getting Lee to hit into a double play.
"I don't think I threw a fastball tonight where I wanted to all night, if you can call it a fastball,'' Johnson said. "I didn't have anything on it, I couldn't locate it. It was a wasted pitch.''
Notes: The Devil Rays activated SS Julio Lugo and recalled RHP Brandon Backe from Triple-A Durham on Friday. LHP John Rocker and SS Antonio Perez were sent to Double-A Orlando. ... Tyner has a hit in all six games in which he's played since being recalled from Triple-A Durham on May 9. ... Orioles 2B Jerry Hairston, the AL stolen base leader with 12 thefts, was caught stealing for the fifth time this season. Last year, Hairston was thrown out six times in 27 attempts. ... The all-time series between the teams is tied at 43. ... Johnson has received six runs of support in his last three starts
BOXSCORE @ ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=230516101)