BALTIMORE — Manny Machado blooped an RBI single barely ahead of left fielder Matt Joyce’s desperate drive with two outs in the 14th inning and the Baltimore Orioles beat Tampa Bay 3-2 Thursday, completing a three-game sweep and remaining atop the AL East.
With their 81st victory — and 13th in a row in extra innings — the Orioles formally ended a franchise-record run of 14 consecutive losing seasons. Baltimore (81-62) started the day in a first-place tie with the New York Yankees, who faced Boston on Thursday night.
The Rays fell four games back in the division by virtue of yet another one-run defeat punctuated by a lack of offensive punch. Tampa has lost 13 of its last 16 one-run games, including a 3-2 decision Wednesday night.
Sixteen pitchers took part in the game, which lasted 5 hours, 14 minutes. Baltimore’s bullpen kept the Rays scoreless on four hits over the final 6 2-3 innings.
After the Orioles squandered a bases-loaded, no-out threat in the 13th, Chris Archer (0-3) got the first two outs in the 14th before Adam Jones walked and Endy Chavez singled. Machado followed with a soft liner toward the line that Joyce trapped.
Machado, a rookie, scored the game-winning run Wednesday night.
Randy Wolf (2-0) earned the win by striking out Joyce with two on in the top of the 14th.
The Orioles have won 14 of 19 overall and are 26-11 since Aug. 3. Baltimore’s sixth three-game sweep of the season completed a 5-2 homestand against the Yankees and Tampa Bay.
The Rays next travel to Yankee Stadium for a three-game series that begins Friday night.
Although the Orioles blew a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning, they improved to 64-0 when leading after the seventh.
Baltimore loaded the bases with no outs in the 13th but could not score after the Rays employed five infielders in hopes of cutting off the potential winning run at the plate. Robert Andino hit into a force at home, pinch-hitter Matt Wieters struck out and Nate McLouth struck out.
Orioles rookie Wei-Yin Chen gave up two runs and eight hits in 7 1-3 innings. Working with a 2-1 lead in the eighth, Chen walked leadoff hitter Desmond Jennings, who advanced on a passed ball and a stolen base before scoring on a slow roller to third by Ben Zobrist for a hit.
In the bottom half, the Orioles got runners on the corners with one out before Joel Peralta struck out Machado and Mark Reynolds.
Limited to four hits through the first six innings, Baltimore went ahead with a two-run seventh. After Rays reliever Wade Davis mishandled a bunt by Machado, Andino walked and seldom-used backup catcher Taylor Teagarden hit a two-run double into the gap in right-center.
Tampa Bay starter Jeremy Hellickson allowed four hits and three walks in five-plus innings. He was pulled after J.J. Hardy led off the sixth with a single.
Jake McGee, who struck out all four batters he faced on Wednesday night, came in and struck out pinch-hitter Lew Ford, Jones and Chris Davis. It was McGee’s 18th consecutive scoreless appearance since July 18.
To that point, the game’s only run came in the fourth inning. Singes by Zobrist and Evan Longoria put runners at the corners before Jeff Keppinger hit a sinking liner to center. Jones made a fine diving catch, and Zobrist tagged up from third and scored.
NOTES: Jennings returned to the Tampa Bay lineup after missing four games with back tightness. … Tampa Bay 2B Ryan Roberts fouled a ball off his left ankle in the 11th and left the game. X-rays were negative. … David Price (17-5, 2.54 ERA) will start Friday night for Tampa Bay against CC Sabathia (13-5, 3.56) . … Baltimore has held the Rays to 10 runs in the last seven games between the teams. … Right-hander batters are 9 for 93 (.097) against McGee. … TB’s B.J. Upton went 0 for 6 and was 1 for 14 in the series.
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