Baltimore scored two runs in the eighth to complete a rally from an early deficit in a 5-4 win over Tampa Bay on Friday night.
A key win it was for the O’s (81-66), bouncing back from a series-opening loss to the Rays Thursday night, in the thick of a two-sided pennant race.
The Orioles are still in contention for the AL East title, two games back of Boston (83-64), 7-4 winners over the New York Yankees on Friday night.
In the moment, Baltimore is also in the driver’s seat for one of the two AL wild-card spots, a half-game ahead of Toronto for the first wild-card berth, two games up on streaking Seattle, and two and a half games ahead of Detroit.
Tampa Bay jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, on a two-run first inning homer by Evan Longoria, and a two-run second inning homer by Richie Shaffer.
Pedro Alvarez (21) and Chris Davis (38) each hit solo homers to inch the O’s back into it, and a Hyun-Soo Kim RBI single in the seventh brought Baltimore to within 4-3.
A bases-loaded infield single by J.J. .Hardy tied the score in the eighth, and a Michael Bourn sac fly put Batlmore in front to stay.
Things did get interesting in the ninth with closer Zach Britton (44 saves/44 opportunities, 0.60 ERA, 0.85 WHIP) having to pitch around a warning-track fly ball, a two-out single by MIkie Mantook and a double by Alexei Ramirez that ended with Mantook thrown out at the plate trying to score the tying run.
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Chris Graham
