Rays can't maintain early lead, fall to Orioles after woeful 6th inning
BALTIMORE (AP) -- For a while, the Tampa Bay Rays appeared poised to end their miserable losing streak.
Then everything went kaput.
Although the Rays scored three runs before making an out and starter Matt Moore retired the first 13 batters he faced, Tampa Bay's skid reached eight games with a 6-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.
"They're all frustrating, whether you lose it early or a game gets away from you," manager Kevin Cash said.
Corey Dickerson homered for the Rays, who are mired in their longest slide since a 10-game run in 2014. Tampa Bay has given up at least five runs in eight consecutive games.
This one appeared destined to be different. Working with a 3-0 lead, Moore mowed through the powerful Baltimore lineup before Chris Davis doubled in the fifth inning and scored on a single by J.J. Hardy.
"Matt was really good. Then the fifth and the sixth came along," Cash lamented.
In the sixth, Adam Jones homered to make it 3-2, Davis added a two-run single and Mark Trumbo capped the uprising by scoring on a throwing error by Tampa Bay second baseman Logan Forsythe.
Moore gave up five runs, seven hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings. After his run of 13 straight outs, the left-hander permitted seven of the next nine batters to reach.
"When we've got a lead we have to keep it," Moore said.
The lead he was referring to came quickly. Forsythe led off with a double, Dickerson homered on Yovani Gallardo's fifth pitch and Evan Longoria followed with a double. Cleanup hitter Logan Morrison made it 3-0 with an RBI single, and Brad Miller drew a walk before Gallardo finally got an out.
That would be the extent of the Tampa Bay offense.
Rookie Ashur Tolliver (1-0) got two outs in the sixth to earn his first major league win and Zach Britton worked the ninth for his 22nd save.
The last-place Rays trail the AL East-leading Orioles by 10 1/2 games, but Baltimore manager Buck Showalter is convinced Tampa Bay is still a threat.
"They're not going anywhere," Showalter said. "They're going to be in it the whole year. Trust me, their pitching's too good."
ROSTER MOVES
Following the game, the Rays optioned RHP Steve Geltz to make room for OF Oswaldo Arcia, acquired earlier in the day from Minnesota. Arcia will join the team on Saturday.
Geltz has a 6.75 ERA after yielding Manny Machado's homer.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: OF Brandon Guyer (left hamstring strain) took live batting practice, ran out of the box and shagged flies in Florida. ... RHP Ryan Webb (right pectoral strain) allowed one run and two hits in one inning for Triple-A Durham in his fourth rehab outing.
Orioles: LHP Brian Duensing underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow. ... Setup man Darren O'Day (right hamstring strain) will throw off a full mound Saturday. ... If C Caleb Joseph (testicular injury) shows no ill effects from catching Monday at Class-A Frederick, he could return as soon as Wednesday, manager Buck Showalter said.
UP NEXT
Rays: Matt Andriese (6-0, 2.88 ERA) and Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 3.63) will start for the Rays in a split doubleheader Saturday. The opener is a makeup of a rainout on April 9.
Orioles: Kevin Gausman (0-5, 4.37) seeks his first win in the opener and Chris Tillman (10-1, 3.11) vies for his 10th straight victory in the nightcap.
