by Steve Carney

The Baltimore Orioles had just a single run on six hits coming into Sunday's finale, and decided to take out their frustration at the plate on Matt Moore.

The Tampa Bay lefthander allowed nine runs in five innings, and five Orioles batters collected extra-base hits, as Baltimore salvaged the finale 10-7 over Tampa Bay.

A pair of back-to-back RBI doubles by J.J. Hardy and Adam Jones got Baltimore off to a quick start, and the Orioles continued in the second, as Danny Valencia doubled to start the inning, moved to third on a single by Steve Pearce, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Alexi Casilla.  After Nick Markakis struck out, back-to-back doubles by Manny Machado and Hardy extended to deficit to 5-0.

Tampa Bay got one run back in the bottom of the inning, as Evan Longoria doubled, moved to third on a groundout by James Loney, and scored on an infield single by Desmond Jennings.

Baltimore got that run and a couple more back in the third, as Matt Wieters doubled, Valencia walked, and Pearce singled to load the bases.  Casilla then singled to make it 6-1, and when Molina couldn't handle the throw from the outfield, Valencia came home with the seventh run.  Markakis then lifted a sacrifice fly to score Pearce and make it 8-1.

Jones made it 9-1 in the fourth as he blasted his twelfth homer of the season on to the Captain Morgan deck in left-center.

Zobrist cut the lead back to 9-2 with a solo shot to right in the bottom of the fourth, his fourth home run of the year.

Tampa Bay got to withing 9-3 in the sixth as Zobrist walked with two out, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Kelly Johnson.

A two-out RBI double by Markakis in the seventh put Baltimore back up by seven runs.

The Rays rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth, as Jose Molina singled and scored on Sam Fuld's first home run in over two years.  Matt Joyce then singled, and after flyouts by Sean Rodriguez and Kelly Johnson, Longoria singled to move Joyce up, and Luke Scott singled him in to make it a 10-6 ballgame. 

Jose Lobaton's pinch-hit RBI single off Jim Johnson capped the scoring at 10-7, but Tampa Bay could get no closer as Johnson popped out to end the game.

The Rays will begin a three-game series with the division leading Red Sox Monday, as Alex Cobb (6-2, 2.39 ERA) takes on John Lackey (3-5, 2.79 ERA) at 7:10.  Coverage on 620 WDAE and 95.3 FM starts at 6 with the Suncoast Hyundai Dealers Inside Pitch.

by Steve Carney

The Tampa Bay Rays look to complete their second straight three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles Sunday, with Matt Moore (8-1, 2.95 ERA) taking on Chris Tillman (5-2, 3.97 ERA).

Rays Starting Lineup

Joyce RF
Zobrist 2B
Johnson LF
Longoria DH
Loney 1B
Jennings CF
Roberts 3B
Molina C
Escobar SS

Orioles Starting Lineup

Markakis RF
Machado 3B
Hardy SS
Jones CF
Davis 1B
Wieters C
Valencia DH
Pearce LF
Casilla 2B

by Steve Carney

Jeremy Hellickson and three relievers collaborated on a four-hitter, and Luke Scott's three-run triple capped a five-run fifth inning as the Rays took their second straight game from the Baltimore Orioles 8-0 Saturday afternoon at Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay jumped on Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman early, as Ben Zobrist doubled with one out in the first, and scored two batters later on an RBI single by Evan Longoria.

The Rays extended their lead an inning later thanks to run-scoring singles from Yunel Escobar and Zobrist to make the game 3-0.

Hellickson retired ten straight Orioles hitters from the first inning until the fifth when he allowed singles to Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy, but struck out Chris Dickerson, got Ryan Flaherty to ground into a fielder's choice, and retired Nate McLouth on a fly ball to escape without any damage.

Tampa Bay finally busted open the game in their half of the fifth, as Zobrist led off with a double, moved to third on a flyout by Kelly Johnson, and after Longoria drew a walk, James Loney made it 4-0 with a single. 

Desmond Jennings the walked to load the bases, and Orioles manager Buck Showalter went to left-hander T.J. McFarland to face Luke Scott.  However, the move backfired as Scott laced a two-strike offering into right field for a bases-clearing triple and a 7-0 lead.  Jose Lobaton then brought in Scott with a double to cap the scoring

Hellickson left after six innings, allowing just four hits while striking out five.  Alex Torres, Jamey Wright, andf Kyle Farnsworth each threw a perfect inning of relief.

The Rays can complete the sweep with a win on Sunday, as Matt Moore (8-1, 2.95 ERA) takes on Chris Tillman (5-2, 3.97 ERA) at 1:40.  Coverage on 620 WDAE and 95.3 FM begins at 11:30 with the Suncoast Hyundai Dealers Inside Pitch.

by Steve Carney

Chris Archer sure knows how to rebound after a bad loss.

Just five days after last four innings against the Cleveland Indians, the Tampa Bay right-hander allowed just a single run on two hits, and Desmond Jennings' two-run blast was all the offense required to open a ten-game homestand with a 2-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles Friday.

Baltimore's lone tally against Archer (1-1) came in the third inning, as Chris Dickerson walked with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch two betters later, and after Nate McLouth also drew a walk, Manny Machado's single to center brought in Dickerson for a 1-0 lead.  Archer then got Nick Markakis to pop out with runners on the corners to end the threat.

As good as Archer was, Baltimore's Jason Hammel was equally spectacular.  He gave up just three total hits in the first six innings, and was able to work out of a jam in the fourth, when James Loney doubled with one out, but was stranded at third base.

Tampa Bay finally broke through in the seventh, as Loney singled to start the inning, then Jennings took a first-pitch fastball and deposited it over the wall in centerfield to give the Rays a lead they would not relinquish.

Joel Peralta allowed a two-out walk to McLouth in a scoreless eighth, and Fernando Rodney retired Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, and Chris Davis in order -- the final two on strikeouts -- to earn his 13th save.

The Rays can earn a series victory Saturday afternoon, when Jeremy Hellickson (3-2, 5.59 ERA) takes on talented rookie Kevin Gausman (0-2, 7.20 ERA).  First pitch is scheduled for 4:10, with coverage on 620 WDAE and 95.3 FM starting at 3 with the Suncoast Hyundai Dealers Inside Pitch.

At least they asked.

Ron and Ian had Raystop draft pick, catcher Nick Ciuffo, on Friday morning and posed the question as to whether the youngster plans to sign with Tampa Bay or head to the University of South Carolina.

"It's tough to tell right now," he said. "There's still some things that gotta be worked out, the college scholarship plan, things like that. All I can say is that I'm really excited."

Here is the entire conversation:

by Steve Carney

The Tampa Bay Rays used their two first-round picks to strengthen what many consider a weakness and continue to stockpile what has long been considered a strength.

With the 21st overall selection, Tampa Bay took catcher Nick Ciuffo out of Lexington High School in South Carloina, and added another pitcher eight picks later, taking right-hander Ryne Stanek from the University of Arkansas.

Ciuffo, at 6' 1", has been compared to A.J. Pierzynski both at the plate and on defense.   The 18-year-old also played on the same travel team as 2011 first-round pick Taylor Guerrieri.

The high-schooler tweeted his excitement first about joining the Rays organization

I'd like to thank the @RaysBaseball for giving me this opportunity! #mlbdraft #rays

— Nick Ciuffo ✅ (@nciuffo14) June 7, 2013

Then tweeted at old youth teammate Guerrieri.

@TaylorG1201 IM COMING! #babyshoo #reunited #rays

— Nick Ciuffo ✅ (@nciuffo14) June 7, 2013

Click below to hear the conference call with Nick Ciuffo!

Stanek, 21, was 10-2 with a 1.39 earned run average with the Razorbacks last year.  He struck out 79 batters in 97 1/3 innings.  The right-hander has been compared to another former Rays pitcher, Edwin Jackson, and has a fastball that can reach 98 MPH.

The righty also took to Twitter after hearing his name called, striking up a conversation with his new fellow first-round teammate Ciuffo

@nciuffo14 will be good to meet you man

— Ryne Stanek (@rstanek_55) June 7, 2013

And current Rays prospect Jake Odorizzi also welcomed him to the organization.

Congrats to my boy @rstanek_55 ! Happy for him to be joining the @RaysBaseball family! #GreatFit

— Jake Odorizzi (@JakeOdorizzi) June 7, 2013

Click below to hear the conference call with Ryne Stanek!

Click below to hear from Rays Director of Scouting R.J. Harrison and Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman about their two first round picks!

Finally, regional scout Brian Hickman scouting both Ciuffo this year and Stanek when he was in high school.  Click below to hear his opinion on both players!

(VIA Tampa Bay Rays Communications) - The Tampa Bay Rays selected catcher Nick Ciuffo (SHOO-fo) from Lexington (S.C.) High School with the No. 21 overall pick and right-handed pitcher Ryne Stanek (STAN-eck) from the University of Arkansas with the No. 29 overall pick in the first round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Ciuffo, 18, is the first catcher ever taken by the Rays with their first overall pick.  He was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 22 overall prospect in the draft, No. 2 catcher, No. 1 out of the state of South Carolina and No. 11 among high school players.  He was also ranked as the No. 23 overall prospect by MLB.com.

As a senior at Lexington (S.C.) High School, he led his team to a state championship (AAAA) and was named the 2013 South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year after hitting .468 with five home runs, 33 RBI, a .723 slugging percentage and .562 on-base percentage.  He was also named a 2013 Rawlings Preseason All-American and a 2012 Under Armour All-American.  In 123 career high school games, he hit .401 with 11 home runs and 93 RBI.

Ciuffo is the first high school catcher from the state of South Carolina ever taken in the first round of the draft.  The only other catcher in draft history selected in the first round out of South Carolina was Landon Powell, selected by Oakland in 2004 at No. 24 overall out of the University of South Carolina.  Ciuffo has committed to play at the University of South Carolina, which offered him a scholarship at the age of 14 before he had ever played a varsity game.  He played youth baseball with Taylor Guerrieri, the Rays first overall pick in 2011
(No. 24 overall).

Stanek, 21, was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 13 overall prospect in the draft, No. 5 right-handed pitcher, No. 1 out of the state of Arkansas and No. 8 among college juniors.  He was also named the top prospect from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) by Baseball America and Perfect Game.  As a junior at the University of Arkansas, he went 10-2 with a 1.39 ERA in 16 starts.  For his college career, he went 22-8 with a 2.55 ERA in 48 appearances (45 starts).

Among his accolades, the right-hander was selected as the preseason SEC Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America, named to the midseason watch list for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and a selected as a preseason All-American by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and Perfect Game.  In 2012, he pitched for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

He was previously selected by the Seattle Mariners in the third round (99^th overall) of the 2010 June Draft.  He was named after Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg despite being born into a family of St. Louis Cardinals fans.