Baltimore defeats Tampa Bay to split series

Manny Machado and Mark Trumbo homered, and Johnny Wholestaff limited Tampa Bay to a run on six hits, in a 2-1 Baltimore win on Sunday.

Wade Miley allowed one hit in four shutout innings, but was forced to leave with a muscle strain in his upper back while warming up in the fifth.

“I felt something grab in my shoulder blade area,” said Miley, who had been 1-5 with an 8.41 ERA in eight starts since being acquired by the Orioles at the July 31 trade deadline. “It kind of stayed there and didn’t go away. In between innings, it kind of got a little worse.”

Brad Brach (10-3, 1.70 ERA, 0.97 WHIP) was credited with the win with a scoreless eighth inning.

Zach Britton (45 saves/45 opportunities, 0.59 ERA, 0.85 WHIP) closed the door in the ninth to earn the save.

The win moves the O’s (82-67) to within two and a half games of Boston (84-64) in the AL East. The two teams square off in Camden Yards in a four-game series that begins on Monday.