Wrapping up a 5-1 win

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A team that's been scuffling for runs and maybe pressing a bit at the plate was able to exhale after one big swing.

The game was far from over, but a four-run cushion brought a certain level of comfort.

Chris Davis hit his fifth career grand slam tonight in the third inning and Miguel Gonzalez held the Rays to one run over 7 2/3 innings in a 5-1 victory at Tropicana Field.

The Orioles won for only the sixth time in their last 21 games. They've scored more than three runs in two of their last 14 games.

"It was pretty big, especially with the way Miguel's been throwing the ball against these guys," Davis said. "Everybody that inning did a great job of not trying to do too much, just taking what (Erasmo) Ramirez gave them. And obviously, with a full count and bases loaded, I know he's not going to walk me, he's not trying to walk me, so I just look for a pitch over the plate and I was able to put a good swing on it.

"I think it gives you a little bit of breathing room and allows the pitching staff and the defense to go out and relax a little bit. Obviously, when you score you want to keep scoring and you don't want to stop or slow down, but I think we did a great job tonight of having good at bats, making them work and taking advantage of opportunities to score."

Davis conceded that the Orioles may have been trying too hard as the offense sputtered and the losses piled up.

"I think there were situations where we probably pressed a little bit," he said. "I think it's natural when you're scuffling to try to score runs to try to go out there and do too much. I thought it was a great inning for us to put together some base hits and come through with a big hit and for Miggy to shut them down was big.

"I think it just allows you to focus and enjoy the game a little bit. You don't feel like you're grinding every at bat, every pitch. You just go out there and play the game and really have fun and enjoy it."

David Lough, batting leadoff for the first time this season, singled in the third inning before Davis' slam.

"I think it was kind of a relief," he said of the home run. "We haven't been putting up too many runs, but to be able to do that and get a good cushion, a good lead, I think it definitely made us more calm."

Lough also tripled in the eighth and raced home with a big tack-on run when Logan Forsythe's relay sailed past third base.

"I was pretty gassed coming around second. I'm not going to lie," he said. "I'm not used to running around the bases like that, but it was good. Once I saw the ball get away from third and I was able to score, it was a good feeling.

"I peeked and I looked at Bobby (Dickerson) at third and he was waving his arms. I thought I had a chance, but I couldn't see the ball where it was. I just had to look at the third base coach."

Was Lough hoping that the official scorer would credit him with an inside-the-park home run?

"It doesn't matter to me," he said. "As long as I scored the run."

Lough said he was looking forward to batting first tonight.

"It's been a while," he said. "Glad I was able to help our team win tonight and hopefully we keep it rolling."

Gonzalez lowered his season ERA to 3.99 in 106 innings. He's posted a 0.93 ERA in four starts this season against the Rays.

Gonzalez is 5-2 with a 1.92 ERA in eight career starts at Tropicana Field.

"Coming into this game, the first couple innings I was getting hit hard, but at guys who were making plays, and I think that was the difference," Gonzalez said.

"I think Wiety (Matt Wieters) did a good job changing speeds. My curveball was really good today, and my slider. Toward the end I was flying a little open, but its important to throw in to hitters early in the game and that's what really changed the game for us."

So did the Davis slam.

"Having him to come up in that situation is really huge," Gonzalez said. "Even though Ramirez threw really well after that and settled down, we were able to win this ballgame and it was really important for us."

Here's a sampling from manager Buck Showalter:

On Gonzalez and the defense: "Good, good. It took a couple of innings to find his step. We played really good defense the first couple of innings. There were some hard hit balls. We were fortunate. Ryan (Flaherty) played really well at first base again tonight. I thought Snides (Travis Snider) got a got break on a ball. Adam (Jones) played like he always does. Jonathan (Schoop), some places we put him, worked out for us. Manny (Machado), we don't take for granted what he does for us over there."

On having a four-run lead: "It makes pitching a lot easier. Same as I've been telling you all every game for a while now, we've got to create some margin of error for our pitchers. Some guys don't perform as well with that, but our guys know I think right now that runs are at a premium for us offensively until we get it going. To go out there and throw a zero after that four-spot, which I thought was big. Then Miguel really got in step. I thought in the first couple of innings he was up with some pitches and we were able to catch it."

On Lough batting leadoff: "That's one game. We've had some guys go in there for a game and not ... David has that ability. I think when he saw the lineup, he was looking forward to giving us something that we were in need of. We've hit Chris second two or three times. I was hoping David would get on and get a few more fastballs, too. Right now, it's all about Kacey Musgraves."

She's performing at The Trop as I type this blog entry. I don't know a single song, but it's nice background music.

Some Rays fans are booing because Musgraves noted how she's friends with Davis because they're from the same region in Texas. Then she added, "Well, he did hit the grand slam tonight."

Boom.

Davis has 29 RBIs in 30 career games at The Trop, his most in any visiting ballpark. He's hit 28 in Toronto.