ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays played like a team still in the playoff hunt while taking a 7-0 win over the Orioles on Friday night at Tropicana Field.
Both teams were recently eliminated from playoff contention, leaving the American League East rivals to play a three-game series this weekend with little on the line other than pride. That seemed to be ample motivation for the Rays, who played one of their better games of late.
Evan Longoria grounded into a bases-loaded fielder's choice to score Daniel Robertson and give the Rays a 1-0 lead in the third.