Wed Apr 2 22:58:10 2008

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Huff, Orioles rally late to down Rays

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Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Aubrey Huff finished 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, four RBI and a pair of runs scored as Baltimore rallied late to top Tampa Bay, 9-6, at Camden Yards.

Nick Markakis and Adam Jones contributed two hits, an RBI and a run scored apiece for the Orioles, who earned their first win of the year after dropping a 6-2 decision to Tampa on Monday.

Jamie Walker (1-0) held the Rays at bay in the eighth inning to earn the win. George Sherrill notched his first save as an Oriole with a scoreless ninth. Starter Daniel Cabrera turned in a subpar performance, allowing six hits and six runs with two strikeouts and five walks over four-plus innings.

Cliff Floyd hit a three-run homer and Carlos Pena added a two-run shot for the Rays. Al Reyes (0-1) was charged with three hits and four runs with a pair of walks over just two-thirds of an inning.

Tampa starter Matt Garza allowed six hits and five runs over 5 1/3 frames in the no-decision.

The Orioles took a 9-6 lead thanks to a four-run eighth inning.

Reyes began the frame by walking Melvin Mora, and he went to second two batters later on a Kevin Millar single. Huff doubled to deep center to score two more and put the O's up by one, and after Luke Scott was given a free pass, Ramon Hernandez lifted a sac fly to plate Huff. Pinch runner Jay Payton swiped second, then came home as Jones followed by dropping a base hit to left.

Scott Dohmann was called on to rescue Reyes, and although Jones was in scoring position after stealing second, he fanned Brandon Fahey to end the inning.

Sherrill made things interesting in the ninth by walking Akinori Iwamura and B.J. Upton sandwiched around strikeouts by Carl Crawford and Pena. The newly- minted closer settled down and iced the game by inducing a fly out from pinch- hitter Jonny Gomes.

The Rays started strong, as Floyd's three-run homer in the first got the visitors off to a quick lead. Brian Roberts countered in the home half, leading off with his first home run of the year.

Back-to-back RBI singles from Markakis and Mora in the third drew the O's even, but the Rays jumped back on top in the fifth when Pena lofted a two-run shot to center and Dioner Navarro's run-scoring double-play ball put Tampa up 6-3.

Huff's two-run homer in the home sixth brought Baltimore within a run before the late offensive explosion sealed the win.

Game Notes

Roberts stroked his 10th career leadoff homer and his first in the leadoff spot since July 31, 2007...Sherrill posted seven saves for the Mariners in 2007, and accumulated eight saves over his first four big-league campaigns with Seattle...The rubber match of this three-game set is slated for Thursday with probable starters Steve Trachsel for Baltimore and Andy Sonnanstine for Tampa.