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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – The Baltimore Orioles put it all together. Willis Roberts pitched six strong innings in his first major league start and Jay Gibbons hit a three-run double as the Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6-3 Friday night. "We'll take it definitely ... get a 'W' tonight," Gibbons said. "Hopefully we can get a couple more here and get on a little roll." The Devil Rays dropped to 0-3 under new manager Hal McRae. Tampa Bay has lost five in a row overall. "We didn't quit and that's important," McRae said. "The record is not good. We haven't won in a while, so it's important we don't quit and get as many players involved as possible." Roberts (2-0), filling in for injured Sidney Ponson, gave up one run and five hits. He struck out four and walked two. "He threw strikes, stayed ahead of hitters and made some pitches when he had to," Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove said. Roberts made six appearances earlier this season out of the bullpen. He had pitched just one game in the majors -- with Detroit in 1999 -- in his first eight professional seasons. "I don't change nothing for starting or relief," said Roberts, who developed a blister in the second inning. "I feel good right now. I win, and the team wins, too." The Orioles (.203) and Devil Rays (.224) entered the game with the two lowest batting averages in the American League. David Segui hit a solo homer in the Orioles' eighth. Four of Baltimore's six homers this year have come against Tampa Bay. Gibbons hit his three-run double during a four-run fourth. Baltimore benefitted from the Devil Rays' league-leading 21st error when shortstop Felix Martinez misplayed an apparent double-play grounder by Jeff Conine with no outs. "I don't remember a time when I missed a ground ball like that," Martinez said. Martinez did go 4-for-4 and tied a team-record with six consecutive hits. Segui followed with an RBI single to make it 1-0. After Chris Richard was hit by a pitch, Gibbons -- who had driven in just one run -- cleared the bases with his double down the right-field line. "I think our bats are finally starting to wake up a little bit," Gibbons said. "For me personally, I'm feeling my way through it. We ran into some pitching lately and hopefully we can turn it around." Tampa Bay has allowed 26 unearned runs -- including one in the fourth inning -- in 17 games. The Devil Rays have been outscored 39-9 in their last five games. Richard put the Orioles ahead 5-0 with an RBI single in the fifth that chased Tampa Bay starter Bryan Rekar (0-2). Ben Grieve snapped an 0-for-17 slump against Baltimore with an RBI double in the sixth. Martinez and Russ Johnson had a run-scoring singles off Mike Trombley in the seventh that got the Devil Rays within 5-3. Ryan Kohlmeier got the final three outs for his third save. He struck out Greg Vaughn with two runners on to end the game. "I'm frustrated," said Vaughn, who went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts. "They count on me big time. I get paid to drive in runs. So far, I haven't." Vaughn has struck out in nine of his last 16 at-bats. Baltimore's Cal Ripken Jr., who entered hitting just .140, was out of the starting lineup for the second time in three games. Hargrove said before the game Ripken would probably play on Saturday. Game notesThe announced crowd of 13,013 was the smallest at Tropicana Field since Sept. 29, 1999. ... Baltimore RF Brady Anderson fouled off the first seven pitches of the game. He then fouled out on the ninth pitch. ... Tampa Bay 3B Vinny Castilla snapped an 0-for-28 streak -- including 13 strikeouts -- with a seventh-inning double.  Send this story to a friend
| RECAPS Cleveland 5 Detroit 4
Baltimore 6
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