Orioles fail to complete sweep of Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A makeshift lineup today that included Michael Bourn and Drew Stubbs in the outfield produced six runs for the Orioles.

Just not enough to win a game and complete a sweep. Not with The Trop bringing more trouble to Dylan Bundy.

Bourn hit his first home run since the Aug. 31 trade and Stubbs came through with a tie-breaking RBI single in the fifth inning, but the bullpen was forced into action by the fourth and couldn't hold up in a 7-6 loss to the Rays before 10,537.

Corey Dickerson drove in his second run of the day with a two-out double off Mychal Givens in the seventh inning that scored Mikie Mahtook, the ball eluding Adam Jones in left-center field. The Rays had pushed across the tying run in the fifth off Oliver Drake on Dickerson's two-out RBI single.

The Orioles fell to 76-63 overall and 31-38 on the road. They're 1 ½ games out of first place in the American League East, with the Blue Jays and Red Sox both playing tonight..

The Orioles failed to post their first three-game sweep of the Rays at Tropicana Field since May 2014 or their first three-game sweep on the road this season. However, they won their second straight division series.

Stubbs singled into left field off reliever Ryan Garton with two outs in the fifth inning to score Jonathan Schoop, who doubled, and give the Orioles a 6-5 lead. Stubbs had his first RBI in his first start since being claimed off optionable waivers.

Stubbs also reached on an infield hit in the second inning and walked in the eighth. Bourn, also making his first start with the Orioles, had a home run and walk within the first four innings, but he struck out to end the eighth and strand Stubbs at second base.

Bundy returned to the site of his first major league start and surrendered home runs to Kevin Kiermaier in the first and Nick Franklin in the second, the latter a two-run shot that gave Tampa Bay a brief 3-2 lead.

Bundy loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth and Kiermaier poked a two-run single into left field with the count full to tie the game. Drake replaced Bundy and struck out Evan Longoria.

Bundy allowed five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, with two walks, seven strikeouts and two home runs. He threw 91 pitches, 56 for strikes.

In two starts this season at Tropicana Field, Bundy has allowed nine runs and 12 hits over seven innings and served up five home runs.

Any abbreviated start from Bundy will have people wondering if the rookie is tiring down the stretch. He's now thrown 94 1/3 innings and has failed to complete five innings in three of his last five outings.

Bundy fell behind 3-1 to Kiermaier and got a swinging strike on a changeup. The two-run single came on a 94 mph fastball.

The Orioles scored twice in the second inning on J.J. Hardy's second two-run double in less than 24 hours, and they tallied three runs in the third to take a 5-3 lead.

Bourn led off with a home run to right field to tie the game. Manny Machado singled, Mark Trumbo walked and Steve Pearce singled to load the bases, and catcher Luke Maile's passed ball broke the tie.

Schoop followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, giving him 73 RBIs this season. He also doubled and singled. The right wrist must be fine.

Pearce took third base on Kiermaier's throw home, another fundamental lapse by a Rays team that is living up to its last-place billing. Pearce was stranded, but it's still bad baseball.

Kiermaier denied Caleb Joseph of a much-anticipated first RBI with a leaping catch on the center field warning track with runners on first and second and one out in the second inning. Joseph lowered his head and jogged back to the dugout.

Left-hander Drew Smyly was gone after allowing five runs (four earned) and seven hits, walking three batters and throwing two wild pitches in 3 2/3 innings.

Not exactly how he drew it up. Not a good day to be a starting pitcher.

Rookie left-hander Donnie Hart replaced Tommy Hunter with a runner on first base and two outs in the sixth inning and retired Brad Miller on a soft liner to short. Left-handed hitters are 5-for-27 versus Hart.

The Orioles are off Thursday and will fly to Detroit for a three-game series at Comerica Park.