Moore Problems As Rays Fall To Orioles 5-3

The Rays, no really the Rays, made 5 errors in the game, Matt Moore could not locate his arsenal, and needed 101 pitches to record 13 outs, and the offense was unable to deliver key hits as the Baltimore Orioles secured a series win by defeating the Rays 5-3 on Saturday evening. Matt Moore took the loss lasting only 4.1 innings (101 pitches/56 for strikes), giving up 4R/1ER, on 4 hits, while striking out 6 and walking 4.

A look at Matt Moore's pitches from Brooksbaseball.net

Wade Davis and Burke Badenhop kept the game close after Moore departed. Wade Davis tossed an impressive 1.2 scoreless and hitless innings striking out 2 and walking 1. Burke Badenhop worked a scoreless 7th giving up a hit and striking out the side. J.P. Howell worked the 8th inning and surrendered a solo home run to Bill Hall.

The Rays were unable to capitalize on opportunities against Brain Matusz who navigated his way through 5.2 innings giving up 3R/2ER on 7 hits while striking out 6 and only walking 1. The Orioles bullpen, which entering the game was ranked as the 2nd best bullpen in the majors with a 2.13 ERA, slammed the door on the Rays to preserve the victory for Matusz. The Orioles bullpen retired the last 9 Rays in order on 19 pitches on Friday evening and retired the last 10 Rays on Saturday evening.

The victory drops the Rays to 20-14 and they fall to 2-games behind the Orioles (22-12) in the AL East. The Rays will look to avoid a series sweep sending James Shields (5-1, 3.23 ERA) vs Jake Arietta (2-3, 4.23 ERA).

Early Lead: Rays Jump Out to a 1-0 Lead

Rays are 14-7 when scoring first and 15-10 when the homer. Brandon Guyer put both of those numbers into play when he led off the second inning and delivered his first homer of the year.

Not a Good Inning: Orioles Take a 2-1 Lead

The bottom of the 2nd inning started off with a sharp liner off the bat of Adam Jones to 3b Sean Rodriguez who made a nice play to stab it but his throw to first sailed over the head of first baseman Jeff Keppinger. A few moments later Matt Moore’s pickoff attempt evaded a leaping Keppinger and Jones advanced to second base but Jones spot at first was soon occupied after Moore issued a walk to Matt Wieters. After back to back strike outs of Wilson Betemit and Bill Hall Steve Tolleson smacked a line past a diving Sean Rodriguez which would have scored Adam Jones but the ball got behind Brandon Guyer for the Rays 3^rd error of the inning and allowed Matt Wieters to score and Tolleson to advance to 3^rd. Moore struck out Luis Exposito to end the inning with the Rays trailing 2-1.

Adding On: Orioles Extend Lead to 4-1

Bottom of the fifth: Luis Exposito reached base on catcher interference and moved to second on a 1-out single by J.J. Hardy and Nick Markakis walked to load the bases. Adam Jones delivered a single up the middle scoring 2 runs and then to add insult to injury Jones took second base on an error charged to BJ Upton and because no Ray covered the bag. Wade Davis came in to replace Moore with runners at 2^nd and 3rd and 1-out. Davis retired Wieters on a shallow fly ball to left field and walked Wilson Betemit to load the bases but escaped further damage by striking out Bill Hall.

Rays Answer Back Cut Lead To 4-3

Top of the sixth: The Rays cut the Orioles lead to 4-3 thanks in large part to an error charged to 3rd baseman Steve Tolleson. With Sean Rodriguez at 2nd and Jeff Keppinger at 1st and 1-out Brandon Guyer sent a hard shot to Tolleson who touched 3rd for the first out and threw wildly to first allowing Keppinger to advance to 3rd and Guyer to 2nd. Luke Scott delivered a key 2-out 2-RBI single to cut the Orioles lead to 4-3.

Insurance Run: Orioles Tack On A Run To Lead 5-3

Bottom of the 8th: Newly recalled Bill Hall lined a homer off J.P. Howell to give the Orioles a 5-3 lead.

Missed Opportunities

1^st Inning: BJ Upton reached second by beating the throw to 2^nd on a pickoff play but Jeff Keppinger was called out to end the inning.

3^rd Inning: Will Rhymes doubles to lead off third inning but Ben Zobrist popped out to second, Sean Rodriguez struck out, and BJ Upton flew out to left.

6th inning: Eliot Johnson beat out an infield hit which moved Luke Scott to second with 2-out. Brian Matusz was replaced by RHP Luis Ayala and Matt Joyce pinch hit for Chris Gimenez but was unable to deliver as he struck out.

ODDITIES

Elliot Johnson was called out on a bunt attempt because the ball hit him out of the batters box.

Chris Gimenez was charged with his 3^rd catcher interference of the season which allowed Luis Exposito to reach first in the bottom of the fifth. Mike Fast examines

Prior to tonight's combined 7 errors between the Rays (5) and Orioles (2) the Rays had never played in a game where both teams combined for 7 errors.