Hardy's single in seventh gives Orioles a 5-4 win over Rays

Sometimes you need a bloop and a blast and sometimes a bloop alone will do. J.J. Hardy's bloop RBI single in the seventh inning drove in the tiebreaking run as the Orioles beat Tampa Bay 5-4. The Orioles win the series, three games to one, and are 76-56 for the season. They gained a game on New York after the Yankees lost this afternoon and now lead the AL East by seven games. Tied 4-4 in the seventh, Nelson Cruz doubled to left with two outs off Kirby Yates. Then Tampa Bay elected to intentionally walk Chris Davis to bring up Hardy. Hardy's flare into right field had just enough to foil the Rays' strategy. It was his 45th RBI. It was a clutch hit on a night when they went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position. The game was tied 4-4 after five innings after each team scored twice in the first and fifth innings. In the O's first, Steve Pearce hit a solo homer, No. 16, to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. He has five doubles and five homers during the streak. The Orioles executed a double steal with runners on first and third to score the second. Adam Jones stole home on the back end with the Orioles' first steal of the plate since Robert Andino against Atlanta on June 14, 2009. In the Orioles fifth, Davis plated one run with a grounder and the fourth run scored on an error by shortstop Yunel Escobar. O's starter Bud Norris gave up six hits and four runs over six innings, throwing 100 pitches. Norris did well to get that far after he needed 34 pitches to get through the first. Tampa Bay starter Jeremy Hellickson gave up eight hits and four runs over 4 1/3 innings. The Orioles' bullpen added three more scoreless innings tonight and the 'pen has recorded 16 scoreless innings over the last five games. Andrew Miller went 1 1/3 innings to get his first O's win. He has pitched to an ERA of 0.84 in 11 Orioles games. Zach Britton pitched the ninth for his 29th save in 32 chances. The Orioles are 18-6 at home since June 30 and avoided back-to-back losses at Camden Yards for the first time since June 28-29. The Orioles open a four-game series with Minnesota tomorrow night when Miguel Gonzalez (6-7, 3.75 ERA) faces right-hander Trevor May (0-3, 8.79 ERA).