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| Longoria, Rays pummel Orioles TAMPA BAY 11, BALTIMORE 4 |
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ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- In four of his last five starts, Edwin Jackson had allowed one run or less and had no wins to show for it. On Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles, Jackson pitched one of his worst games this year, but got an elusive victory thanks to a career night from Evan Longoria. The rookie third baseman had two home runs and six RBIs, sparking the Tampa Bay Rays to an 11-4 victory. It was the first multi-home run game for Longoria, whose career-high six RBIs were one off the franchise record. B.J. Upton (4-for-4, two RBIs) and Carlos Pena (3-for-3, three RBIs) also had big nights as Tampa Bay improved to 14-1 in its last 15 home games. "I like the quality of the at bats," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "They'll start feeding off each other like our pitching staff." Longoria hit a three-run homer in the first and a two-run shot in the second off Steve Trachsel. He also added a fourth-inning sacrifice fly. Longoria had two more chances to equal or break the franchise RBI record, but struck out with two on in the sixth and lined out to first base with the bases loaded in the eighth. "It just takes one game to get your swing going," Longoria said. "I usually don't get real, real hot then real, real cold. I'm pretty consistent. We've been playing well, so this is easier to enjoy." Jackson (3-3), who started the year 2-0, won his first game since April 10, a span of eight starts. Upton had a career high-tying four hits, including a pair of doubles. Upton and Carl Crawford (2-for-3) each scored three runs. "We have a good lineup," Pena said. "We can do it one through nine with the bat. If everybody's doing what they're supposed to be doing, the pitchers are going to be getting a lot of run support." Pena had an RBI double in the first, an RBI triple in the second and an RBI single in the fourth. He walked in the sixth before being removed from the game needing a home run for the cycle. "I'm happy for him, he's getting back on track," Longoria said. "He hasn't been getting the results so tonight it's good to see." Trachsel (2-5) was pulled after allowing Longoria's second home run and the Orioles trailing, 9-1. The veteran right-hander lasted only 1 2/3 innings, tying for the fourth-shortest outing of his career. He allowed seven hits and nine earned runs. "I missed some spots, but even when I was hitting spots they were hitting the ball hard so I might be tipping my pitches," Trachsel said. "If that's not it, I have some serious things to figure out." Jackson allowed four hits and three runs in five innings. He got the victory despite walking a season-high five. He walked the bases loaded in the first, but escaped when Luke Scott grounded into an inning-ending double play. "One of those days you feel bad, you look bad," Jackson said. "It was just one of those nights when nothing feels right, nothing looks right. Just keep things from snowballing." Guillermo Quiroz's RBI single in the second, Scott's two-run homer in the third and Jay Payton's RBI double in the eighth accounted for all of the Orioles' offense. "I would have taken the four runs we got tonight about the last three games and we would have won some ballgames," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. |
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