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Rays power way to 5-1 win over Orioles on eve of crucial road trip

 
Rays right fielder Steven Souza Jr. (20) hugs catcher Jesus Sucre (45) after Souza's solo home run in the seventh inning. [WILL VRAGOVIC   |   Times]
Rays right fielder Steven Souza Jr. (20) hugs catcher Jesus Sucre (45) after Souza's solo home run in the seventh inning. [WILL VRAGOVIC | Times]
Published July 26, 2017

St. PETERSBURG — The Rays didn't get many hits in the early going Wednesday, but they got a couple that went a long way and that was enough to beat the Orioles, 5-1.

Evan Longoria's two-run homer to left field put the Rays up 2-1 in the second inning. Steven Souza Jr., crushed one off the D-ring catwalk that hangs over the left field stands for an insurance run in the seventh.

The Rays added two more in the eighth off Zach Britton on an RBI single by Logan Morrison that broke an 0-for-15 slump and a fielder's choice by Souza, who hustled to first after tapping back to the mound to avoid the double play.

The win was the second straight for the Rays (53-49) on the heels of their five-game losing streak. It ensured they will reach Yankee Stadium on Thursday for the start of a four-game road trip against the Yankees no worse than 2-1/2 games behind the first place Red Sox, who played later Wednesday in Seattle.

It is an important eight-game trip since it includes four at Houston against the Astros.

The Rays will also hit the trade deadline Monday, so they could return to the Trop on Aug. 4 with some help for the bullpen and/or another right-handed bat. Or not.

The home runs proved enough offense for Alex Cobb, who turned in another solid outing.

Cobb allowed four hits in seven innings. He allowed one run, a homer off the batter's eye behind center field to Jonathan Schoop.

Cobb has pitched at least seven innings in four straight starts and six of his last seven.

Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez looked nothing like a pitcher with a 7.19 ERA. He retired 13 straight at one point and allowed just three hits in six innings.

One of those hits, though, was Longoria's 15th homer of the season. It came with Mallex Smith on first base after a one-out walk.

Darren O'Day replaced Jimenez in the seventh and allowed a leadoff homer to Souza. It was Souza's 21st homer of the year.