Yoshi Tsutsugo and Brandon Lowe each drove in a run in the top of the seventh as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the host Baltimore Orioles 3-1 in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday.

Baltimore had tied the game at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Rays (32-18) came back with the two runs in the top of the seventh against Cesar Valdez (1-1).

Valdez walked Randy Arozarena to start the inning, and he moved to third on a Michael Perez double. Tsutsugo grounded to second, and that gave the Rays a 2-1 lead. Lowe followed with a sacrifice fly that gave Tampa Bay a 3-1 edge.

Starter Blake Snell gave the Rays 5 1/3 strong innings. He allowed one run on two hits while striking out four and walking just one, pitching well.

The veteran left-hander battled Baltimore rookie Dean Kremer in a pitcher's duel. Kremer was making his third major league start and now has allowed just one run in each.

In this game, Kremer gave up just one run on three hits, struck out six and walked three. His ERA sits at 1.69 after his first three starts.

The only run that the Orioles rookie gave up came in the top of the second when Brett Phillips lined a triple into the right-field corner to score Joey Wendle.

Baltimore (22-28) has been up and down offensively in recent games, and it struggled in this game also, rarely getting many good chances to score. The Orioles got Pat Valaika to third base with two outs against Tampa Bay relief pitcher Diego Castillo (3-0) in the sixth.

Jose Iglesias then walked to put runners on first and third. Rookie Ryan Mountcastle then singled off Castillo, tying the game at one. But the Rays answered in the seventh.

--Field Level Media