Masterful Matusz: O's top Tampa, 4-0

Brian Matusz had another good outing vs. an AL East rival and the Orioles gave the Yankees some help by winning tonight vs. the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. Matusz gave up just three hits over seven innings as the Orioles beat the Rays 4-0 at Tropicana Field. He lowered his ERA to 3.70 vs. AL East opponents, his lowest mark vs. any division. Matusz, who got out of a bases-loaded jam in the 5th, walked two with eight strikeouts. He threw 94 pitches, 63 strikes and is now 9-12, 4.40.

Matusz gave up just three singles and two of them never left the infield. He threw first-pitch strikes to the first 15 batters he faced and 21 of 27 in the game. Matusz is now 5-0, 1.58 over his last seven starts and 6-1, 2.25 over his past ten. He has allowed one earned run or fewer in seven of his past ten starts. The Orioles broke a four-game losing streak and this was the club's 6th shutout of the year. Tampa rookie Wade Davis gave up three runs over 6 1/3 as his seven-game win streak ended. This was his first loss in 13 starts since June 27th. The O's snapped the 0-0 tie with a 5th-inning run. Cesar Izturis doubled to left with one out and scored on a Nick Markakis triple. The O's made it 4-0 in the 7th. After Pie led off the inning with an infield single, Izturis was hit by a pitch. One out later a Markakis single made it 2-0. Ty Wigginton added a sac fly and Luke Scott an RBI single. The Rays began the day with a ½ game lead atop the AL East on the Yankees. With the loss, Tampa is 48-31 at home and 41-29 vs. AL East opponents. The O's improved to 6-10 vs. the Rays and won for just the seventh time in 26 games at Tampa.