Recap: Tampa Bay vs. Baltimore

Sports Network | October 1, 2009

St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Jeff Fiorentino's RBI single in the fourth inning proved to be the difference, as the Baltimore Orioles survived a stressful ninth inning to post a 3-2 win over Tampa Bay and snap a 13-game losing streak.

Cesar Izturis had two hits and scored a run for the Orioles, who last found the win column on September 16 against these same Rays.

Chris Waters (1-0), making his first start of the season, gave up a run on two hits and walked three over five innings to get the win.

Ben Zobrist homered and doubled for Tampa Bay, which had won four straight. Matt Garza (8-12) allowed three runs and six hits over six innings to take the loss.

"Matt had really good stuff tonight," said Rays manager Joe Maddon. "He had as good as stuff as he's had in a while. We didn't make several plays for him. Overall, I think he pitched pretty well."

Jim Johnson came on in the ninth to protect a two-run lead for Baltimore. Zobrist led off with a double and a one-out single by Willy Aybar put runners on the corners for Pat Burrell, who lofted a sacrifice fly to right. After pinch-hitter Gregg Zaun singled, Johnson got Akinori Iwamura to ground out to end the game and secure his ninth save of the season.

"It wasn't that bad. Considering everything else we've gone through that ninth inning was a piece of cake," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said jokingly.

Baltimore got on the board in the opening frame when Izturis hit a one-out double and scored on a Nick Markakis single that deflected off the glove of shortstop Jason Bartlett.

The Orioles extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth on run-scoring singles by Melvin Mora and Fiorentino.

Zobrist answered with a one-out blast to left field in the home half of the inning.

The O's 13-game skid was the longest in the majors since Arizona dropped 14 in a row in June 2004...Tampa Bay concludes the regular season with a three-game set at home against the Yankees...Baltimore ends the year at home against Toronto...The O's finished the 2009 campaign with a 25-56 road record.