Staff report
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Greenfield’s Kyle Gibson threw into the seventh inning and the Baltimore Orioles were able to win in extra frames in a battle for first-place in the American League East Division.
In 10 innings, the Orioles defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3.
“That was a big win not because of the standings or anything,” Gibson said. “It was big (because) it was the first game of the series and it set the tone.”
Gibson was in line for the win with a 3-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Tampa Bay’s Taylor Walls singled and Christian Bethancourt reached on a bunt hit, ending Gibson’s night. Yandy Díaz then greeted Yennier Cano with a two-run double to tie the game.
In six-plus innings, Gibson gave up seven hits, three earned runs and struck out eight. He threw 91 pitches.
Gibson had struck out 11 twice this season, most recently in a seven-inning outing in a 15-2 win over Minnesota on July 9. The eight strikeouts Thursday are the third most the 2006 Greenfield-Central High School grad has had in 21 starts this season.
The 35-year old right-hander is scheduled to start Tuesday at Philadelphia against Taijuan Walker. Gibson pitched for the Phillies last season before signing as a free agent in the offseason with the Orioles.
Baltimore’s Colton Cowser hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, in the opener of a four-game series between the American League’s top teams, to give the O’s the lead.
Baltimore started the day in first place for the first time after the All-Star break since Aug, 15, 2016. The Orioles, who started July 6½ games back, now have a one-game lead.
Aaron Hicks opened the 10th at second as the automatic runner. He advanced on pinch-hitter Adam Frazier’s sacrifice bunt and scampered home on Cowser’s fly ball to left against Robert Stephenson (1-4).
Félix Bautista (5-1) worked a perfect ninth for Baltimore and then stayed on for the 10th. He hit Luke Raley and struck out Randy Arozarena before Brandon Lowe bounced into a game-ending double play.
Tampa Bay has lost five in a row. It is tied with Pittsburgh for the majors’ worst July record at 3-12.
The announced crowd, which included a sizable turnout of Orioles fans, was 20,203. Tampa Bay entered averaging 17,849 at home.
Baltimore had been in front since it scored three times in the fourth. Gunnar Henderson sparked the rally with some smart baserunning, racing into third for a leadoff triple when Arozarena lobbed a throw toward the infield after fielding the hit down the left-field line.
Adley Rutschman singled on Tyler Glasnow’s next pitch and later scored on Ryan O’Hearn’s sacrifice fly.
Baltimore took a 3-1 lead when Anthony Santander knocked the ball loose during a tag attempt by catcher Francisco Mejía after Aaron Hicks’ single. Mejía was charged with an error.
Tampa Bay had a runner in scoring position in each of the first five innings but scored just once on Mejía’s second-inning RBI single.
Glasnow struck out nine in seven innings.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report)
