ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A pitch sailed that away from catcher Nick Hundley cost the Baltimore Orioles a game.
Yunel Escobar scored on Hundley’s passed ball with two outs in ninth inning Saturday, giving the Tampa Bay Rays a 3-2 win.
“It’s tough to lose a game because I don’t catch the ball,” said Hundley. “It’s a fastball. That’s on me. It had nothing to do with the pitch, the location. I just didn’t get it done, didn’t make the play. I don’t have the best memory, but I can’t remember that ever happening.”
Playing its 2,733rd regular-season game, Tampa Bay won for the first time on a game-ending passed ball, according to STATS.
“Listen, we’ll take it,” said Rays manager Joe Maddon.
Baltimore had not lost on a walkoff passed ball since at least 1974, STATS said.
“I’m not going to dwell on that,” said manager Buck Showalter after the Orioles’ second straight loss. “They have pitched really well the last two games, and that’s been the difference.”
Escobar reached first on a throwing error by shortstop Ryan Flaherty leading off the ninth, took second on Kevin Kiermaier’s sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on Curt Casali’s flyout.
After Ben Zobrist was intentionally walked by Brad Brach (5-1), Andrew Miller relieved and threw an outside pitch that glanced off Hundley’s glove and rolled to the backstop as Escobar sprinted home.
Brad Boxberger (5-1) struck out two during a perfect ninth to beat the Orioles for the second straight day. The AL East leaders were coming off a 9-2 homestand.
Baltimore had tied the score in the eighth when Rays closer Jake McGee walked Steve Pearce, pinch-runner Quintin Berry advanced when McGee made an errant pickoff attempt for an error and Nelson Cruz singled for his 94th RBIs. Delmon Young lined to third baseman Evan Longoria, who threw to second to double up pinch runner David Lough.
“I was really proud of us scratching a run off one of the best relief pitchers in the league,” Showalter said. “If Delmon doesn’t hit a ball right at somebody, it’s a different story. But they hit a couple balls right at the shortstop, too.”
Rays starter Drew Smyly gave up one run and four hits over six innings, and Baltimore’s Kevin Gausman gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings.
Chris Davis’s 26th homer put the Orioles ahead in the second.
Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead in the bottom half on Longoria’s sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Wil Myers that went off the glove of center fielder Adam Jones, who was trying for a catch at full extension. Longoria has 38 RBIs in 46 games since the All-Star break.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Pearce (abdominal strain) returned to the starting lineup after being sidelined since Aug. 29. … RHP Darren O’Day (hamstring) felt fine after a bullpen session. … Manager Buck Showalter gave SS J.J. Hardy a day off the artificial turf. Hardy has had back issues this season.
Rays: CF Desmond Jennings (sore left knee) missed his ninth straight game.
UP NEXT
Orioles RHP Bud Norris (12-8) and Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (1-3) are Sunday’s scheduled starters.
A LITTLE LATE
Smiley is 3-1 with a 1.70 ERA in seven starts with the Rays. Informed that the Rays are considering ending Smyly’s season after 153 innings, Showalter said: “I wish they had done it a week earlier.”
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