ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Jake Bauers drove in two of his three runs with a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 Thursday night.
Bauers' decisive hit off Cody Carroll (0-1) came in the Rays' franchise-record tying sixth consecutive one-run game. Tampa Bay has played 49 (22-27) one-run games overall, tops in the majors.
The Orioles (35-80) open a four-game series Friday night against Boston. One victory by the AL East-leading Red Sox would eliminate Baltimore from the contention for the division title.