One strike from victory, O's instead lose in extras (quotes added)

One strike away from a win that would have moved them into third place, instead the Orioles suffered a deflating extra-inning loss tonight. Steven Souza Jr.'s three-run homer in the 10th off Darren O'Day lifted Tampa Bay to the 6-4 victory.

After Brad Brach suffered a blown save with two outs in the ninth as the Rays tied it, O'Day came on for the 10th of a 3-3 game. He walked Corey Dickerson, who advanced to second on a groundout. Then he intentionally walked Logan Morrison. That set the stage for Souza, who blasted a 3-2 pitch over the center field wall for his 15^th homer.

With the score tied 2-2 in the last of the seventh, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones drove a pitch back into the right-field corner. He doubled and took third on an error to open the inning. Mark Trumbo then lined a high, 1-2 changeup from Rays starter Jacob Faria into left for a single and a 3-2 lead on his 38th RBI.

But one out from losing in the ninth, the Rays tied the game 3-3 against Brach. Pinch-hitter Shane Peterson walked and advanced to second on a balk. Then Peter Bourjos pinch ran for him and moved to third on a wild pitch. Then on a 1-2 pitch, Rays shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria singled to left to tie it 3-3 and give himself a 4-for-4 day.

It was a night when both Brach and O'Day failed to come through for the Orioles.

The Rays got the early lead tonight. With one out in the second, Steven Souza Jr. singled and scored on a Wilson Ramos two-run homer. It was the first homer for Ramos in his fourth game and 10th at-bat with Tampa Bay. He hit it out to center field, blasting that ball 417 feet off a 1-2 Chris Tillman slider.

The O's pulled with 2-1 in the third against Faria. Catcher Welington Castillo reached on an error by shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria. He scored on a one-out double to left by Joey Rickard.

The O's needed some nifty defense and clutch pitching to keep it at 2-1. Rickard made two dazzling catches in left in the fifth. An inning later, Tillman was knocked out of the game when Tampa Bay loaded the bases with no outs on a single and two walks. But right-hander Miguel Castro pitched out of that mess, getting a 5-2-3 double play ball and a strikeout. Opponent batters are 0-for-7 this season with the bases loaded against Castro.

Tillman went five innings plus in a no-decision, allowing seven hits and two runs with two walks and five strikeouts on 92 pitches. It was far from a strong outing, but perhaps a small step forward, considering his ERA was 13.80 over his previous four starts.

Rickard came through again in the sixth with a solo homer to lead off the inning for the 2-2 tie. He hit No. 3 and his first since June 10 a distance of 375 feet to left. Trumbo led off the last of the 10th with a solo homer to account for the 6-4 final margin.

So the Orioles are 39-40 and fall 1 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay for third with the Rays at 42-40. The Orioles were 9-1 in extra innings before this loss in the series opener.

In the second game of this series on Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m., right-hander Dylan Bundy (8-6, 3.73 ERA) pitches against right-hander Jake Odorizzi (4-3, 4.00 ERA).

O'Day on the homer by Souza: "It was a slider. It wasn't a very good one. Can't make that mistake in that situation. Yeah, he hit it good. I wasn't all that sharp tonight. You can't walk the leadoff guy in a tie game. I threw some good pitches. Souza and I faced each other four days ago and I struck him out on a full-count slider. Maybe he was looking for it. I felt comfortable throwing that pitch. I just didn't put it where it needed to be."

Brach on the ninth: "Yeah, I can't walk a guy there when I have two strikes on him and he's at the bottom of the order. I should just challenge him there. The walk was definitely a huge thing. But, just have to keep my composure out there. I let the balk get to me and that just can't happen."

Brach when asked what happened on the balk: "I still don't know. I thought, I don't know if I saw him call time or I was stepping off. I didn't think I even came set, so I just stepped off. Next thing I know I see Hechavarria pointing that the guy is going to second base. I don't know what happened there. I have to look at it tomorrow or later tonight."

Brach on being one strike away: "Yeah, it's frustrating. Especially when you have a guy buried like that. You threw two really good pitches to get to that count. It's 0-2. Yeah, to give up that single there hurts."

Brach on trying to bounce back from this: "You know it was just one walk and one base hit tonight. Unfortunately, timed up together that gave them a run. That wild pitch there didn't help any causes either. One of those things, just got to forget about it and come out tomorrow. If I get another opportunity, I'll shut the door."

Tillman on his outing: "It was definitely better. Felt pretty good from the get-go. Was able to command the fastball to both sides. I feel like the last one in Tampa and this one, was carrying the same stuff tonight. Executed a few more pitches than in Tampa. But for the most part it's been a little better."

Tillman when asked whether waiting for the arrival of a baby is distracting: "You know, I'm not really thinking about it. I was completely there. My focus was on getting guys out, and not elsewhere."

Rickard on whether he was hurt on his tough catch near the wall in foul territory in the fifth: "It wasn't (painful). It looked a lot worse than it was. It is very padded, so I'm thankful for that."