Colton Cowser hits 10th-inning sacrifice fly as Baltimore Orioles top Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 #Colton #Cowser #hits #10thinning #sacrifice #fly #Baltimore #Orioles #top #Tampa #Bay #Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Colton Cowser hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series between the American League’s top teams.

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).

Texas Rangers' Leody Taveras (3), relief pitcher Alex Speas, center, Robbie Grossman, right center, and the rest of the team celebrate their 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays following a baseball game, Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. Speas made his major league debut in the game. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Leody Taveras and Jonah Heim homered as the AL West-leading Texas Rangers stretched their winning streak to six games with a 5-1 victory over the slumping Tampa Bay Rays.

Baltimore Orioles' Ramon Urias, left, gestures as he stands on second after hitting a double during the third inning of a baseball game next to Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Mookie Betts (50), Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

The Baltimore Orioles moved past the Tampa Bay Rays and into the AL East lead for the first time this season, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-5 behind three RBIs from Ramón Urías to avoid what would have been their first time getting swept in 14 months.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi throws to a Tampa Bay Rays batter during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

All-Star right-hander Nathan Eovaldi pitched two-hit ball over six scoreless innings and matched the major league lead with his 11th victory as the AL West-leading Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3.

Texas Rangers' Josh Jung, left, Ezequiel Duran (20) and first base coach Corey Ragsdale, right, celebrate after Duran's two-run home run in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Monday, July 17, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. Robbie Grossman also scored on the shot. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Aroldis Chapman got his first win since being traded to Texas when pinch-runner Josh Smith scored on Pete Fairbanks’ wild pitch in the ninth inning, giving the Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

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.

Orioles second baseman Ramón Urías helped keep the game tied in the eighth when he made a diving stop on pinch-hitter Harold Ramírez’s grounder with two on and threw him out at first.

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.

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