Monday, 4 a.m.
If the Tampa Bay Rays are going to hold onto the American League East lead, it will take pitching performances like this.
Nick Martinez, stopper, threw six innings of shutout, one-hit baseball Sunday to lead the Rays to a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Although the Rays are in first place in the division and the Orioles are last, the Orioles had won nine of the previous 10 meetings between the teams.
Martinez made sure that didn't happen again. Martinez gave uo only a double to Colton Cowser and improved his record to 13-4.
Bryan Baker gave up a solo homer in the ninth to Cowser for the O's only run. Baker recorded his 37th save.
If the Rays are going to hold on in the AL Easts, they will need more innings like their sixth on Sunday against former teammate Shane Baz. After two men were out, the Rays strung together four hits, a walk and a wild pitch to score three times. Junior Caminero and Chandler SImpson had run-sdoring singles.
Simpson had two hits on the day.
The Rays still have leads of three games over the Yankees and six over the Red Sox in the division race.
The Rays now travel to Detroit at Comercia Field tonight at 6:40. Drew Rasmussen (13-5) will start for the Rays against Framber Valdez (8-8).