MARK DIDTLER
Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Chris Davis hit a replay-delayed grand slam and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-5 on Tuesday night.
Davis was awarded a slam off Erik Bedard (3-5) during a five-run third-inning after a video review showed his drive struck the foul pole. He reached second base on an opposite-field shot down the left-field line. The review that lasted 1 minute, 18 seconds revealed the ball hit the pole a few feet above the wall, and Davis was given a home run.
The Orioles also got a two-run homer from Steve Pearce.
Sean Rodriguez and Desmond Jennings homered for Tampa Bay, which is 5-16 in its last 21 games.
The Rays pulled within 5-2 in the bottom of the third when Rodriguez and Jennings hit consecutive solo homers off Miguel Gonzalez (4-4). Jennings has four homers in 22 at-bats against the Baltimore right-hander.
Tampa Bay made it 5-4 on James Loney’s two-run double during the fifth.
Baltimore went ahead 7-4 on Pearce’s two-run drive in the seventh. Tampa Bay got one run back on Yunel Escobar’s eighth-inning sacrifice fly.
Gonzalez, activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings. He had been out since May 31 due to a strained right oblique.
Zach Britton pitched the ninth for his eighth save.
Bedard gave up five runs and four hits over four-plus innings.
NOTES: Rays LF David DeJesus stayed in the game after he ran hard into a low fence near the foul pole while chasing Davis’ homer. … Baltimore C Matt Wieters had season-ending right elbow ligament replacement surgery. The Orioles are hopeful that he will be ready for opening day next year. … Tampa Bay RHP Jeremy Hellickson (elbow) struggled in his third rehab start with Triple-A Durham, allowing seven runs and 12 hits in 2 2-3 innings. … Baltimore INF Michael Almanzar (left knee) is scheduled play for the rookie-level GCL Orioles on Friday. … The Rays signed RHP Brent Honeywell, taken 72nd overall in the 2014 draft. … To make room on the roster for Gonzalez, RHP Josh Stinson was designated for assignment. … Orioles RHP Kevin Gausman (2-1) and Rays RHP Alex Cobb (2-4) are the scheduled starters for Wednesday’s series finale.
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