Game update and more notes (O's lose 7-6)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles weren't able to jump on the Rays again in the first inning this afternoon, putting two runners on base before stranding them.

Instead of taking another 1-0 lead, they're down by a run.

Manny Machado reached on an infield hit with one out against Rays starter Jake Odorizzi, and Chris Davis drew his team-leading 74th walk. But Adam Jones struck out and Steve Clevenger flied to the edge of the left field warning track to end the threat.

On the plus side, the Orioles worked Odorizzi for 25 pitches.

John Jaso led off the bottom of the first with a double, took third on Grady Sizemore's grounder and scored on Kevin Gausman's wild pitch. Logan Forsythe doubled with two outs before James Loney grounded out on Gausman's 16th pitch of the inning.

Gausman has allowed 12 runs, including five home runs, in the first inning this season - the most runs in any frame and tied for the most homers.

Earlier today, the Rays honored the Bradenton, Fla.-based Manatees All-Atar youth baseball team that won the 10-year-old division of the Cal Ripken World Series.

Orioles bench coach John Russell took special interest, since his youngest son Stone was part of the group. They played catch together in front of the visiting dugout before Stone joined his teammates.

"Stone is a little nervous," Russell said. "He said, 'Are they going to make me go out and stand with the Rays players?' He's Oriole-true, all the way through. He's not really excited about that, but I talked to Buck (Showalter) and we're going to have them in the clubhouse for about 10 minutes, let them walk around. I think it's something small we can give back to Little League baseball."

Russell did his best to keep up with the team's climb to the championship while continuing his work with the Orioles.

"You get the nervous father where you really want them to do well and want them to continue to win," he said. "I got to see some of the state tournament games around the All-Star break. Just like the major leagues, you've got to get some breaks here and there. In the long run, they played great defense and can really pitch."

Stone is one of three pitchers on the team. He gets lots of advice and a nice dose of motivation from older brother Steel, a catcher in the Orioles system.

"Stone really looks up to Steel," Russell said. "I think it's the older brother toughness type deal. The get up, brush it off and let's go. I think Stone has learned a lot of that from Steel.

"I've seen him get smoked on the field, lay there for a second and jump right up. And I'm like, 'Oh, my gosh.' At school he gets a hangnail and it's a big deal. On the baseball field it's really not a big deal."

The Orioles' upcoming series in D.C. is a big deal as they try to stay in the wild card chase. It's the latest that they've played an interleague series, and the pitchers again are forced to take batting practice.

"We've been working the last four or five days with them," Showalter said.

"This late in the season, I'm sure there's a good reason. When we had to sit a (Jimmy) Paredes when he was so hot... Clev's been doing a nice job for us DHing. It keeps us from having to put Matt (Wieters) in as a DH. I understand the reason for it, but you hate to see it this late in the season."

Showalter figures to chat with Nationals manager Matt Williams, one of his former players in Arizona. He won't share details with reporters, choosing to keep the conversation private as rumors swirl that Williams will be fired one season after being named National League Manager of the Year.

"I don't know the situation," Showalter said. "I try hard not to weigh in on things. We all think we're experts on things that we're not. I try to stay out of things. There are a lot things that go on that you're not aware of, and a lot of things that people that report on it and weigh in on it don't know."

Whether Showalter offers Williams any advice is up to the Nats' manager.

"It's kind of his call," Showalter said. "If I know Matt, he's trying to win the next 13, 14 games and get in. It's more about getting ready to trying and beat them. We're trying to get back in, too.

"If something like that happens, I won't broadcast it. I have some private thoughts. I'm on the outside looking in. I don't know all the variables. I know both of them. I was part of the hiring of (general manager) Mike Rizzo out in Arizona. I know a lot of guys over there."

Update: The Orioles hit for the cycle in the third inning and took a 3-1 lead.

Paul Janish doubled and scored on Manny Machado's single. Chris Davis followed with his 43rd home run to break the tie, and Steve Clevenger tripled with two outs.

Update II: Logan Forsythe hit a three-run homer with two outs in the fifth to give Tampa Bay a 4-3 lead.

Jaso grounded into a double play after Tim Beckham's leadoff single, but Grady Sizemore walked, Evan Longoria singled and Forsythe cleared the fence in left field. More two-out trouble for the Orioles.

Gausman has thrown 90 pitches in five innings.

Update III: Janish collected his second hit today, an RBI single into right field in the sixth that tied the game 4-4. Clevenger led off with his second hit, a single, and Steve Pearce walked with one out. Janish delivered with two outs.

Update IV: Longoria misplayed Janish's ground ball for an error with two outs in the eighth that allowed Pearce to score from first base, and Gerardo Parra followed with an RBI single off Steve Geltz. Orioles 6, Rays 4

Brach tossed a scoreless seventh. Mychal Givens is ready to pitch the eighth.

Update V: Givens, a Tampa native, gave up a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, but he stranded two runners and the Orioles lead 6-5.

Pinch-hitter Asdrubal Cabrera lifted a sacrifice fly to right field after Forsythe walked and Loney singled. Kevin Kiermaier followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position with one out, but J.P. Arencibia and Beckham struck out.

Showalter clearly wants to avoid using Darren O'Day today.

Update VI: Brandon Guyer delivered a pinch-hit home run to center field on the first pitch from Zach Britton to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. Longoria tripled with one out, Forsythe was walked intentionally, Richie Shaffer walked, Joey Butler struck out and Kevin Kiermaier reached on an infield hit to give the Rays a 7-6 victory.

Jonathan Schoop charged the ball and threw late, as Kiermaier recorded his first walk-off hit.

Britton was going for his 35th save. Instead, he suffered his fourth blown save and the Orioles settled for a split of the four-game series.

The Orioles went 8-5 at The Trop this season. They're 22-25 in one-run games this season.