The Texas Rangers have traded Mattoon’s Kyle Hudson to the Tampa Rays as the major-league baseball season gets started.

Hudson, who began last year in Class A and advanced to the majors with the Baltimore Orioles last September, was released by the Orioles over the winter.

He then signed with the Rangers, who cut sent him to the minors the past week.

On Saturday, the Rays obtained the outfielder.

See more in Monday’s JG-TC.

SARASOTA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rays face a problem most teams would love to have: a surplus of starting pitchers.

On Tuesday, manager Joe Maddon used two of them — David Price and Matt Moore — in the same game.

Price worked into the fourth inning, and Moore made his spring debut with a hitless 1 2-3 innings in the Rays’ 7-7 10-inning tie with the Baltimore Orioles.

Price threw 60 pitches in 3 2-3 innings and allowed the Orioles’ biggest inning of the spring — four runs — keyed by a three-run homer by Jai Miller. Miller also had two doubles.

Moore, the heralded left-hander who made his major league debut in mid-September and started the first game of the ALDS against Texas on Oct. 1, struck out three and walked one after missing time with abdominal soreness.

It was Price’s third start of the spring, and he hadn’t allowed a run in his first three innings. In his last start March 8, Price suffered a neck spasm after drying himself with a towel. It turned out to be nothing serious, but Maddon joked before the game that it was B.Y.O.T. for the Rays.

Price said he air dried this time, but the attention was on Moore, who showed enough to the Rays that they signed him to a five-year contract after just three regular-season games.

“Matt Moore was exceptional today. He looked pretty comfortable out there,” Maddon said.

Maddon watched Moore throw simulated games and was impressed.

“He was throwing really well there too, but not as sharp as I saw today,” Maddon said.

Moore joked that he had already worked in the playoffs, but spring training presented other problems.

“Now, the butterflies are out of the way,” he said. “It was a warm day, so it didn’t take much for me to get my body going. I felt like I’m supposed to feel.”

Price had hoped to complete four innings.

“We’re getting there,” he said.

He was happy to see another left-hander do well and liked Moore’s stuff, too.

“He’s got the equalizer on the changeup,” Price said. “Most hitters don’t see that very good.”

Tampa Bay scored five runs in the ninth for a 7-5 lead, and Ryan Flaherty hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning for the Orioles.

Baltimore scored its most runs of spring training.

“We had some good at-bats. It’s the time of the spring where you start getting some more sense of urgency as you move forward,” manager Buck Showalter said.

Starter Jason Hammel pitched three innings for the Orioles, allowing one run and a hit.

Notes: Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts, who hasn’t played since last May because of a concussion, took batting practice and fielded ground balls before the game. It was the first time he’s done that in public view. “It’s one thing to hit on the back field with three coaches shagging and another thing with all the guys out there and people in the stands and music on,” Roberts said. … Orioles OF Nick Markakis will play Wednesday for the first time after January surgery to repair a torn abdominal muscle. He’ll be the designated hitter and isn’t scheduled to play in the field until March 20. … Rays DH Luke Scott faced Baltimore for the first time since the team didn’t renew his contract in December. He was 0 for 2 with a walk. … Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria was hitless in three at-bats in his second spring game. … Maddon will have his head shaved Thursday to generate awareness for pediatric cancer. He’s encouraging his players to join him. “If you want to get your hair cut off, 80-degree weather is the perfect time,” he said.

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) The Tampa Bay Rays face a problem most teams would love to have: a surplus of starting pitchers.

On Tuesday, manager Joe Maddon used two of them – David Price and Matt Moore – in the same game.

Price worked into the fourth inning, and Moore made his spring debut with a hitless 1 2-3 innings in the Rays‘ 7-7 10-inning tie with the Baltimore Orioles.

Price threw 60 pitches in 3 2-3 innings and allowed the Orioles‘ biggest inning of the spring – four runs – keyed by a three-run homer by Jai Miller. Miller also had two doubles.

Moore, the heralded left-hander who made his major league debut in mid-September and started the first game of the ALDS against Texas on Oct. 1, struck out three and walked one after missing time with abdominal soreness.

It was Price’s third start of the spring, and he hadn’t allowed a run in his first three innings. In his last start March 8, Price suffered a neck spasm after drying himself with a towel. It turned out to be nothing serious, but Maddon joked before the game that it was B.Y.O.T. for the Rays.

Price said he air dried this time, but the attention was on Moore, who showed enough to the Rays that they signed him to a five-year contract after just three regular-season games.

”Matt Moore was exceptional today. He looked pretty comfortable out there,” Maddon said.

Maddon watched Moore throw simulated games and was impressed.

”He was throwing really well there too, but not as sharp as I saw today,” Maddon said.

Moore joked that he had already worked in the playoffs, but spring training presented other problems.

”Now, the butterflies are out of the way,” he said. ”It was a warm day, so it didn’t take much for me to get my body going. I felt like I’m supposed to feel.”

Price had hoped to complete four innings.

”We’re getting there,” he said.

He was happy to see another left-hander do well and liked Moore’s stuff, too.

”He’s got the equalizer on the changeup,” Price said. ”Most hitters don’t see that very good.”

Tampa Bay scored five runs in the ninth for a 7-5 lead, and Ryan Flaherty hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning for the Orioles.

Baltimore scored its most runs of spring training.

”We had some good at-bats. It’s the time of the spring where you start getting some more sense of urgency as you move forward,” manager Buck Showalter said.

Starter Jason Hammel pitched three innings for the Orioles, allowing one run and a hit.

Notes: Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts, who hasn’t played since last May because of a concussion, took batting practice and fielded ground balls before the game. It was the first time he’s done that in public view. ”It’s one thing to hit on the back field with three coaches shagging and another thing with all the guys out there and people in the stands and music on,” Roberts said. … Orioles OF Nick Markakis will play Wednesday for the first time after January surgery to repair a torn abdominal muscle. He’ll be the designated hitter and isn’t scheduled to play in the field until March 20. … Rays DH Luke Scott faced Baltimore for the first time since the team didn’t renew his contract in December. He was 0 for 2 with a walk. … Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria was hitless in three at-bats in his second spring game. … Maddon will have his head shaved Thursday to generate awareness for pediatric cancer. He’s encouraging his players to join him. ”If you want to get your hair cut off, 80-degree weather is the perfect time,” he said.

PORT CHARLOTTE – It was only the top of the first inning when Baltimore Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimold was hit in the side of the head by a 2-1 fastball from Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Alex Cobb.

Reimold, batting fifth, dropped to the ground and was facedown for several minutes while a hushed crowd watched as Orioles trainers tended to him. The 28-year-old was taken to Peace River Hospital, and CT scans came back negative, although he does have a loose tooth.

“The lowlight was Nolan getting hit and the highlight was finding out he didn’t have a break,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said after the Orioles and Rays played to a 3-3 tie in 10 innings.

Cobb, who got Reimold’s phone number and said he plans to check up on him, recovered to pitch three scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks in his first start of the spring.

Cobb had season-ending surgery in August to remove a blood clot as well as blockage in his right rib.

Baltimore right-hander Jake Arrieta, making his first start since his own season-ending elbow surgery in August, pitched two scoreless innings for Baltimore.

The Rays named right-handed pitcher James Shields their opening day starter Friday.

Also, Rays third-baseman Evan Longoria (bruised hand) said he felt great after taking batting practice and fielding drills Friday.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP)—Baltimore Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimold was
taken to a hospital after he was hit in the left side of the head by a fastball
from Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Alex Cobb in the first inning of a 3-3, 10-inning
tie on Friday.

Reimold, batting fifth in the lineup, immediately dropped to the ground and
was face-down for several minutes while a hushed crowd watched nervously as
Orioles trainers tended him.

Also looking on was a visibly upset Cobb, who said in the Rays clubhouse,
“It’s probably the worst feeling you can have as a pitcher.”

Reimold eventually walked to a cart, which took him off the field.

Cobb pitched three scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks in
his first start of the spring.

BALTIMORE – The Tampa Bay Rays couldn’t hide their disappointment after losing another game to last-place Baltimore.

The Rays botched an excellent opportunity to gain ground in the wild-card race, getting only three hits over seven innings against Jeremy Guthrie in a 6-2 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday night.

After watching Boston lose to Toronto in an afternoon game, the Rays took the field with a chance to close within three games of the Red Sox in the AL wild-card hunt.

Instead, they lost a second straight game to the team with the second-worst record in the American League.

“They shut us down for two games. We can’t permit that to happen,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said.

Especially against the pitcher with the most losses in baseball. Guthrie (8-17) tied a career high with 10 strikeouts and allowed only two runs to win a second consecutive start for the first time this season.

“We have to figure out a way to get it done,” Maddon said. “We can’t miss out on these opportunities.”

Next up for the Rays: Four games against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, beginning Thursday night. Tampa Bay swept a three-game series from Boston last weekend and is 9-5 against the Red Sox, including 4-1 on the road.

“Let’s get out of here and get up there, get our mojo back,” Maddon said.

Wade Davis (10-9) gave up a three-run homer to Chris Davis and a solo shot to Nolan Reimold. Wade Davis, who allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings, is 4-1 in six career starts at Camden Yards.

Matt Wieters added a two-run shot in the eighth off Matt Moore, who was making his major league debut. It was Wieters’ 20th home run, the third in three games.

“Obviously, we wanted this win and last night,” Rays center fielder B.J. Upton said. “But we’re going into Boston for four, so we need to flush this one as quickly as we can.”

If the Rays fall short in their bid to reach the playoffs, they can blame either a 1-8 start or their 9-9 record against the Orioles, who are 14-33 against the rest of the AL East.

“These guys have our number right now. They have played us well all year,” Maddon said.

Guthrie improved to 6-10 lifetime against Tampa Bay, 2-3 this season. He also beat the Rays on opening day.

“He just kept the ball down and didn’t leave it over the middle of plate,” Upton said. “He has always had good stuff and he showed that today.”

Jim Johnson worked the final two innings for his sixth save, the second in two nights.

Guthrie retired the first eight batters before Reid Brignac singled in the third. Reimold opened the bottom half with his 10th home run, a low-flying line drive that glanced off the top of the left-field wall and into the seats.

The lead didn’t last long. Guthrie walked two of the first three batters in the fourth and Matt Joyce cleared the bases with a two-out double.

In the Baltimore half, Vladimir Guerrero beat out a slow roller to third, Wieters doubled and Chris Davis hit an opposite-field homer to left on an 0-2 pitch for a 4-2 lead.

That was enough to saddle the Rays with another distressing defeat.

“Every time you lose a game it is a lost opportunity,” Rays designated hitter Johnny Damon said. “Just because it is Baltimore, we didn’t let up at all. The home run ball helped them out tonight, as well as last night.”

Tampa Bay’s final threat came in the seventh. Damon drew a leadoff walk and took second on a single by Joyce before Guthrie sandwiched two strikeouts around a fly ball by John Jaso.

Guthrie was more delighted about playing a part in beating the Rays than he was in earning a rare win.

“We matched up well at the plate, we pitched well and got some big hits,” the right-hander said. “It’s a nice series.”

NOTES: Rays OF Sam Fuld left in the fifth inning with a wrist injury. … Tampa Bay recalled LHP Alex Torres from Triple-A Durham and purchased the contract of 1B Dan Johnson from Durham, giving the team 34 players in uniform. … The Rays’ rotation for the Boston series: Jeremy Hellickson (12-10), James Shields (15-10), Jeff Niemann (10-7) and David Price (12-12). Tampa Bay has held the Red Sox to a .177 batting average, including .158 in Boston. … Orioles CF Adam Jones (thumb) hopes to return Friday after missing a fifth straight start. He entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth. … After a day off Thursday, the Orioles resume play Friday against another playoff hopeful, the Los Angeles Angels. Tommy Hunter (3-4) starts for Baltimore against Dan Haren (15-8).

CBSSports.com wire reports
Sep. 14, 2011

BALTIMORE — There are times when Jeremy Guthrie throws so well, it’s downright hard to believe he’s got more losses than any pitcher in the major leagues.

Guthrie allowed three hits over seven innings and matched a career high with 10 strikeouts, leading the Baltimore Orioles past the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 Wednesday night.

The Rays are in the middle of a playoff run and the Orioles are in last place, but Baltimore won the pivotal game of the series behind Guthrie (8-17), who won a second straight start for the first time this year.

“You know when you play Tampa, for the most part you’re going to have to pitch with them. Starting pitching, especially,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “Tonight, it was that case.”

There was a point in the season not too long ago when Guthrie appeared destined to become a 20-game loser. But he’s 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA in five starts since Aug. 13.

“I’m just taking it one at a time,” he said. “I think I have a couple more and at the end of the year you look back and see where you’re at.”

After watching Boston lose to Toronto, the Rays took the field knowing that a victory would put them within three games of Boston in the AL wild-card race.

Instead, they lost a second straight to the team with the second-worst record in the American League.

“Just because Guthrie has 17 losses doesn’t mean he’s a bad pitcher,” Rays designated hitter Johnny Damon said. “There are a lot of teams that if he were on them, he would be their ace and he would have a lot more wins.”

Next up for the Rays: Four games against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, beginning Thursday night. Tampa Bay swept a three-game series from Boston last weekend and is 9-5 against the Red Sox, including 4-1 on the road.

“Let’s get out of here and get up there, get our mojo back,” manager Joe Maddon said.

Wade Davis (10-9) gave up a three-run homer to Chris Davis and a solo shot to Nolan Reimold. Wade Davis, who allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, is 4-1 in six career starts at Camden Yards.

Matt Wieters added a two-run shot in the eighth off Matt Moore, who was making his major league debut. It was Wieters’ 20th home run, the third in three games.

If the Rays fall short in their bid to reach the playoffs, they can blame either a 1-8 start or their 9-9 record against the Orioles, who are 14-33 against the rest of the AL East.

“These guys have our number right now. They have played us well all year,” Maddon said.

Guthrie improved to 6-10 lifetime against Tampa Bay, 2-3 this season. He also beat the Rays on opening day.

“He just kept the ball down and didn’t leave it over the middle of plate,” Tampa Bay center fielder B.J. Upton said. “He has always had good stuff and he showed that today.”

Jim Johnson worked the final two innings for his sixth save, the second in two nights.

Guthrie retired the first eight batters before Reid Brignac singled in the third. Reimold opened the bottom half with his 10th home run, a low-flying line drive that glanced off the top of the left-field wall and into the seats.

The lead didn’t last long. Guthrie walked two of the first three batters in the fourth and Matt Joyce cleared the bases with a two-out double.

In the Baltimore half, Vladimir Guerrero beat out a slow roller to third, Wieters doubled and Chris Davis hit an opposite-field homer to left on an 0-2 pitch for a 4-2 lead.

Tampa Bay’s final threat came in the seventh. Damon drew a leadoff walk and took second on a single by Joyce before Guthrie sandwiched two strikeouts around a fly ball by John Jaso.

Guthrie was more delighted about playing a part in beating the Rays than he was in earning a rare win.

“We matched up well at the plate, we pitched well and got some big hits,” the right-hander said. “It’s a nice series.”

Notes

• Rays OF Sam Fuld left in the fifth inning with a wrist injury.
• Tampa Bay recalled LHP Alex Torres from Triple-A Durham and purchased the contract of 1B Dan Johnson from Durham, giving the team 34 players in uniform.
• The Rays’ rotation for the Boston series: Jeremy Hellickson (12-10), James Shields (15-10), Jeff Niemann (10-7) and David Price (12-12). Tampa Bay has held the Red Sox to a .177 batting average, including .158 in Boston.
• Orioles CF Adam Jones (thumb) hopes to return Friday after missing a fifth straight start. He entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth.
• After a day off Thursday, the Orioles resume play Friday against another playoff hopeful, the Los Angeles Angels. Tommy Hunter (3-4) starts for Baltimore against Dan Haren (15-8).

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays couldn’t hide their disappointment after losing another game to last-place Baltimore.

The Rays botched an excellent opportunity to gain ground in the wild-card race, getting only three hits over seven innings against Jeremy Guthrie in a 6-2 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday night.

After watching Boston lose to Toronto in an afternoon game, the Rays took the field with a chance to close within three games of the Red Sox in the AL wild-card hunt.

Instead, they lost a second straight game to the team with the second-worst record in the American League.

“They shut us down for two games. We can’t permit that to happen,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said.

Especially against the pitcher with the most losses in baseball. Guthrie (8-17) tied a career high with 10 strikeouts and allowed only two runs to win a second consecutive start for the first time this season.

“We have to figure out a way to get it done,” Maddon said. “We can’t miss out on these opportunities.”

Next up for the Rays: Four games against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, beginning Thursday night. Tampa Bay swept a three-game series from Boston last weekend and is 9-5 against the Red Sox, including 4-1 on the road.

“Let’s get out of here and get up there, get our mojo back,” Maddon said.

Wade Davis (10-9) gave up a three-run homer to Chris Davis and a solo shot to Nolan Reimold. Wade Davis, who allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings, is 4-1 in six career starts at Camden Yards.

Matt Wieters added a two-run shot in the eighth off Matt Moore, who was making his major league debut. It was Wieters’ 20th home run, the third in three games.

“Obviously, we wanted this win and last night,” Rays center fielder B.J. Upton said. “But we’re going into Boston for four, so we need to flush this one as quickly as we can.”

If the Rays fall short in their bid to reach the playoffs, they can blame either a 1-8 start or their 9-9 record against the Orioles, who are 14-33 against the rest of the AL East.

“These guys have our number right now. They have played us well all year,” Maddon said.

Guthrie improved to 6-10 lifetime against Tampa Bay, 2-3 this season. He also beat the Rays on opening day.

“He just kept the ball down and didn’t leave it over the middle of plate,” Upton said. “He has always had good stuff and he showed that today.”

Jim Johnson worked the final two innings for his sixth save, the second in two nights.

Guthrie retired the first eight batters before Reid Brignac singled in the third. Reimold opened the bottom half with his 10th home run, a low-flying line drive that glanced off the top of the left-field wall and into the seats.

The lead didn’t last long. Guthrie walked two of the first three batters in the fourth and Matt Joyce cleared the bases with a two-out double.

In the Baltimore half, Vladimir Guerrero beat out a slow roller to third, Wieters doubled and Chris Davis hit an opposite-field homer to left on an 0-2 pitch for a 4-2 lead.

That was enough to saddle the Rays with another distressing defeat.

“Every time you lose a game it is a lost opportunity,” Rays designated hitter Johnny Damon said. “Just because it is Baltimore, we didn’t let up at all. The home run ball helped them out tonight, as well as last night.”

Tampa Bay’s final threat came in the seventh. Damon drew a leadoff walk and took second on a single by Joyce before Guthrie sandwiched two strikeouts around a fly ball by John Jaso.

Guthrie was more delighted about playing a part in beating the Rays than he was in earning a rare win.

“We matched up well at the plate, we pitched well and got some big hits,” the right-hander said. “It’s a nice series.”

NOTES: Rays OF Sam Fuld left in the fifth inning with a wrist injury. … Tampa Bay recalled LHP Alex Torres from Triple-A Durham and purchased the contract of 1B Dan Johnson from Durham, giving the team 34 players in uniform. … The Rays’ rotation for the Boston series: Jeremy Hellickson (12-10), James Shields (15-10), Jeff Niemann (10-7) and David Price (12-12). Tampa Bay has held the Red Sox to a .177 batting average, including .158 in Boston. … Orioles CF Adam Jones (thumb) hopes to return Friday after missing a fifth straight start. He entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth. … After a day off Thursday, the Orioles resume play Friday against another playoff hopeful, the Los Angeles Angels. Tommy Hunter (3-4) starts for Baltimore against Dan Haren (15-8).

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays missed an opportunity to gain ground in the wild-card race, getting only three hits over seven innings against Jeremy Guthrie in a 6-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.

After watching Boston lose to Toronto in an afternoon game, the Rays took the field with a chance to close within three games of the Red Sox in the AL wild-card hunt.

Instead, Tampa Bay lost its second straight to the last-place Orioles.

Next up for the Rays: Four games against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, beginning Thursday night. Tampa Bay swept a three-game series from Boston last weekend and is 9-5 against the Red Sox, including 4-1 on the road.

Guthrie (8-17), the major league leader in losses, tied a career high with 10 strikeouts. The right-hander gave up two runs to win a second consecutive start for the first time this season.

Guthrie improved to 6-10 lifetime against Tampa Bay, 2-3 this season. He also beat the Rays on opening day.

Jim Johnson worked the final two innings for his sixth save, the second in two nights.

Tampa Bay’s Wade Davis (10-9) gave up a three-run homer to Chris Davis and a solo shot to Nolan Reimold. Wade Davis, who allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings, is 4-1 in six career starts at Camden Yards.

Matt Wieters added a two-run shot in the eighth off Matt Moore, who was making his major league debut. It was Wieters’ 20th home run, the third in three games.

If the Rays fall short in their bid to reach the playoffs, they can blame either a 1-8 start or their 9-9 record against the Orioles, who are 14-33 against the rest of the AL East.

Guthrie retired the first eight batters before Reid Brignac singled in the third. Reimold opened the bottom half with his 10th home run, a low-flying line drive that glanced off the top of the left-field wall and into the seats.

The lead didn’t last long. Guthrie walked two of the first three batters in the fourth and Matt Joyce cleared the bases with a two-out double.

In the Baltimore half, Vladimir Guerrero beat out a slow roller to third, Wieters doubled and Chris Davis hit an opposite-field homer to left on an 0-2 pitch for a 4-2 lead.

Tampa Bay’s final threat against Guthrie came in the seventh. Johnny Damon drew a leadoff walk and took second on a single by Joyce before Guthrie sandwiched two strikeouts around a fly ball by John Jaso.

NOTES: Rays OF Sam Fuld left in the fifth inning with a wrist injury. … Tampa Bay recalled LHP Alex Torres from Triple-A Durham and purchased the contract of 1B Dan Johnson from Durham, giving the team 34 players in uniform. … The Rays’ rotation for the Boston series: Jeremy Hellickson (12-10), James Shields (15-10), Jeff Niemann (10-7) and David Price (12-12). Tampa Bay has held the Red Sox to a .177 batting average, including .158 in Boston. … Orioles CF Adam Jones (thumb) hopes to return Friday after missing a fifth straight start. He entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth. … After a day off Thursday, the Orioles resume play Friday against another playoff hopeful, the Los Angeles Angels. Tommy Hunter (3-4) starts for Baltimore against Dan Haren (15-8).

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — During another difficult season in which losses have piled up at a dizzying rate, Baltimore Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie has managed to keep his composure, or at least hold off his frustration until he was outside the camera’s view.

But that changed in an 8-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays Sunday in front of an announced 15,790 at Tropicana Field, a game that was all but over after a brutal bottom of the third inning that included three walks, another costly error for third baseman Mark Reynolds and a three-run double by Reid Brignac, who entered the game with just 10 RBI all season.

After finally getting the last out of the Rays’ four-run third, Guthrie jogged off the field, picked up the Gatorade cooler and slammed it to the dugout floor. There was no use waiting for his 17th defeat to become official before he let go of a season’s worth of angst.

“Just a lot of frustration,” Guthrie said. “I grabbed it, wanted to do a lot more with it. [I] kind of dragged it, set it down. I figured I didn’t deserve a drink of Gatorade that inning so I set it down to where I couldn’t get one.”

Guthrie then offered a brief smile, something that is getting harder and harder for him to do. Now 6-17 on the season, Guthrie is tied for the sixth-most losses in a single season in franchise history, with four starts remaining. He also lost 17 games in 2009, and he’s the first major league pitcher since Kip Wells (2005 and 2007) to lose that many games twice in his career.

Guthrie remains a decent candidate to become the first 20-game loser in the big leagues since Detroit left-hander Mike Maroth dropped 21 decisions in 2003. The last Oriole to lose as many as 20 games was Don Larsen, who went 3-21 in 1954.

In Guthrie’s 30 losses as a starter since the beginning of the 2010 season, the Orioles have scored just 46 runs while he was in the game (an average of 1.53 per game).

That trend continued Sunday when the Orioles were completely dominated by rookie right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, who threw a 97-pitch complete game, allowing just one run, on Adam Jones’s fifth-inning solo homer, and four hits.

— Baltimore Sun

Hellickson (12-10) has two complete games this season, both against the Orioles. The rookie right-hander also tossed a four-hitter in a 3-0 win against Baltimore on May 13 during which Guthrie also went the distance.

Guthrie (6-17) gave up seven runs — three earned — and seven hits Sunday. The right-hander struck out five and walked four.

“I didn’t have a good feel for the strike zone,” Guthrie said. “I wasn’t aggressive in the strike zone.”

Tampa Bay scored four times with two out in the third to take a 6-0 lead. Evan Longoria came home when third baseman Mark Reynolds misplayed Brandon Guyer’s grounder, and Reid Brignac followed with a three-run double.

Guthrie walked three during the third and after the inning ended appeared ready to throw a Gatorade bucket all around dugout.

“Just a lot of frustration,” Guthrie said. “I grabbed it and wanted to do a lot more things with it, but kind of dragged it and set it down. Figured I didn’t deserve a drink of Gatorade that inning.”

Guthrie became the first pitcher since Kip Wells (2005 and 2007) to lose at least 17 games twice during his career. The right-hander went 10-17 in 2009.

Adam Jones homered for the Orioles, who have lost six of eight.

Hellickson improved to 4-1 in five starts — six appearances overall — against Baltimore, including wins in all three outings at home where he has surrendered two earned runs in 25 combined innings.

“You know exactly what he’s going to do and try to do,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “He’s got a great presentation on his change up and breaking ball. Throws everything out of the same slot. He’s grasped pitching instead of throwing at a young age. He’s got a lot of ability.”

Sean Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the second for Tampa Bay. Rodriguez’s two-out drive to left on a 1-2 pitch was his seventh homer of the season.

The Rays scored all of their runs in Saturday’s 6-3 win over Baltimore in two-out situations.

Matt Joyce drove in two runs for Tampa Bay, including a two-out solo homer in the sixth.

Jones led off the fifth with his 23rd homer. He had just three hits in his previous 37 at-bats.

Jones also doubled in the seventh, and Robert Andino and J.J. Hardy had the other hits for Baltimore. Andino’s third-inning infield hit was originally ruled an error on shortstop Brignac.

Tampa Bay designated hitter Johnny Damon tied Doc Cramer for 62nd place on the career hits list at 2,705 with a fourth-inning single.

NOTES: Jones tied his career high with 25 doubles this season. … Reynolds made two errors and has 26 on the year. … Tampa Bay CF B.J. Upton rested one day after getting five RBIs. “That was planned before (Saturday’s game),” manager Joe Maddon said. … Orioles RF Nick Markakis made his second career start at first base and had a couple nice fielding plays. … Rays INF Ben Zobrist (neck stiffness) could return to the starting lineup Monday. … Baltimore RHP Jason Berken (strained right forearm) may pitch in a simulated game Thursday. … Baltimore LHP Brian Matusz (1-7) and New York RHP Freddy Garcia (11-7) are Monday’s scheduled starters at Yankee Stadium.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Orioles’ 82nd loss was all but secured when Alfredo Simon exited after allowing a career-high six earned runs — all with two outs — in just five innings. But the Orioles’ offense made sure the result stood by managing only three runs against a shaky Wade Davis, who allowed five hits and four walks over 6²/
₃ innings, and found the strike zone with just 67 of his 112 pitches.

It was just the Orioles’ second loss in eight games here, and it snapped their five-game road winning streak. Of greater significance, the franchise streak of losing seasons will extend into 2012, not that there was any lingering doubt that would occur.

“You don’t want to continue a trend like that,” said center fielder Adam Jones. “Fourteen years is a long time. We got to do something about it, change it up.”

The Orioles (55-82) look down only at the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are working on a 19th consecutive losing campaign, the longest for any professional North American sports team. The Pirates won Saturday, thanks to former Oriole Derrek Lee’s ninth-inning grand slam to beat the Chicago Cubs, but they are still 64-75, and in need an amazing turnaround to avoid extended their dubious streak.

But the Pirates’ plight provides little solace to the Orioles, who entered this season hoping to make serious progress in the standings. Thoughts of a winning season were still realistic with the Orioles at 30-31 following a June 10 victory over these same Rays.

Then, they lost 14 of 15 games spanning the season’s first and second half, and the question became when — not if — they would clinch their 14th straight losing season. The Orioles managed to push the inevitable back a couple of days by winning eight of 12 coming in, but they could only hold out for so long before one of their starters didn’t give them a chance to win, or the offense botched numerous opportunities to take control of the game.

To Manager Buck Showalter, it essentially came back to Simon, who was presented with a two-run lead on Nick Markakis’s homer before throwing his first pitch. He squandered that in no time at all, and never was able to establish any rhythm.

“It’s one of the reasons why he’s had those inconsistencies in his career,” Showalter said. “He has a couple of really good outings and then a couple that are just not anything we [need]. We’re looking for people that you know what you are going to get, day in, day out. Command of the fastball has to be there to pitch at this level, and tonight wasn’t one of those nights.”

Simon, who had allowed just four earned runs in 15 innings in his previous two starts, never proved capable of consistently throwing any of his pitches for strikes. He was victimized primarily by Rays center fielder B.J. Upton, who hit a two-run double in the first inning, and a bases-loaded clearing double in the fifth that gave the Rays a 6-2 lead. In both cases, Simon issued a two-out walk to Matt Joyce right ahead of Upton.

— Baltimore Sun