Orioles 7, Rays 1: Wei-Yin Chen pitched 6 1/3 strong innings and Ryan Flaherty knocked in a pair of runs as Baltimore rolled over visiting Tampa Bay in the opener of a three-game series.

Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy each contributed three hits, two runs and an RBI while Nelson Cruz had a double and a single, knocked in one run and scored twice for the Orioles. Chen (2-1), who did not get through the sixth inning in his first two starts, allowed one run on five hits and struck out four.

James Loney recorded two hits and Evan Longoria had an RBI for the Rays, who have scored only 14 times over their last eight games. Chris Archer (1-1), who came in with a 1.38 ERA over his first two outings, yielded seven runs and 12 hits in five innings while striking out six.

Cruz singled with one out in the first and later scored on Wieters’ two-out single to center before the Orioles posted three more runs in the second. Hardy hit a leadoff double and came home on Flaherty’s bloop single before consecutive two-out doubles by Cruz and Chris Davis gave Baltimore a 4-0 advantage.

Doubles in the third by Wieters and Hardy pushed across another run before Steve Lombardozzi’s RBI single added to the Orioles’ lead. Chen retired the first 10 batters he faced, did not allow a hit until Loney’s one-out double in the fifth inning and lost his shutout on Longoria’s two-out single in the sixth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Wieters’ RBI in the first inning was the 53rd of his career versus the Rays, tying him with Seattle 2B Robinson Cano for second behind Toronto 1B Adam Lind (54) for the most against the club. … Tampa Bay RHP Brad Boxberger was recalled from Triple-A Durham and made his season debut, pitching a perfect sixth inning. … Baltimore RF Nick Markakis was 0-for-5 and saw his eight-game hitting streak come to an end.