Lavarnway elects free agency and other notes (O's win 2-1)

Catcher Ryan Lavarnway, designated for assignment on Tuesday, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. However, Lavarnway elected to become a free agent and will attempt to sign with another team.

Lavarnway went 3-for-28 in 10 games with the Orioles. He was removed from the roster when the Orioles recalled catcher Steve Clevenger.

Miguel Gonzalez retired the Rays in order tonight in the top of the first inning, striking out Kevin Kiermaier and Joey Butler. He threw 13 pitches.

The Orioles were retired in order by against Rays starter Nathan Karns in the bottom of the first to keep the game scoreless. Why is it worth mentioning?

According to Elias, the Orioles are 10-0 when they hold a lead after the first inning, making them the only undefeated team in the American League. The Cardinals are 14-0 when outscoring their opponents in the first.

Mike Wright served up a leadoff home run to Adam Eaton yesterday in Game 2 of a doubleheader, but the Orioles scored twice in the bottom half of the inning and defeatd the White Sox 6-3.

David Lough is starting on back-to-back days for the first time since June 9-10, 2014. Travis Snider has collected two hits in two of his last three starts, and he's back in right field tonight.

Have more opportunities opened up with outfielder Alejandro De Aza being designated for assignment?

"There's always been an opportunity," said manager Buck Showalter. "There was an opportunity when D was here. Somebody take it and run with it, OK?

"We continue to give opportunities. We're going to give opportunities. If somebody takes it and runs with it, they'll be surprised. We're always looking for that. The good thing is we have people who are capable of doing it.

"Travis is a 27-year-old young man. He can take it and run with it. David, all of them. We know what Steve (Pearce) and Delmon (Young) are capable of. You've got a lot of very good, competitive guys. 'Why don't you just play this guy for two weeks in a row and find out?' What if you're wrong? We've tried that, too.

"It's fair to them and it will continue to be. They control it, not me."

Showalter needs one more victory to reach 400 with the Orioles since being hired as manager on July 29, 2010.

Showalter is tied with Hall of Famer Whitey Herzog for 35th place on the all-time wins list with 1,281. He trails Hall of Famer Frank Selee by three.

Update: Steven Souza Jr. homered off Gonzalez in the second inning to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead.

The Orioles are 5-16 when their opponent scores first.

Souza hit an 84 mph slider from Gonzalez, who struck out three of the first five batters.

Update II: Chris Davis hit his fourth home run in the last three days, a solo shot off reliever Kevin Jepsen in the seventh inning to tie the score 1-1.

The Orioles had one hit and two walks in six innings off Rays starter Nathan Karns, who was removed after only 87 pitches.

Update III: J.J. Hardy singled off reliever Steve Geltz with two outs in the ninth to score Everth Cabrera and give the Orioles a 2-1 win and Showalter his 400th victory as Orioles manager.

Snider led off the bottom of the ninth with an infield hit off Brandon Gomes, and Cabrera pinch-ran for him. Jimmy Paredes struck out and Adam Jones lined out, but Davis singled off reliever Xavier Cedeno to put runners on the corners. Hardy lined a single into left field to end it.

Darren O'Day escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the ninth, recording two strikeouts.

The Orioles are 23-24.