Orioles 2, Rays 0: Nelson Cruz homered for the first time in 15 games and Kevin Gausman pitched six scoreless innings as visiting Baltimore took the rubber match of a three-game series.

Steve Pearce also delivered a pair of doubles and an RBI while J.J. Hardy had two hits for the Orioles, who have won seven of eight games against the Rays this season. Gausman (3-1) threw a career-high 111 pitches, allowing five hits and striking out five, before Zach Britton notched his ninth save with a perfect ninth inning.

Evan Longoria and David DeJesus recorded doubles for the Rays, who went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and were shut out for the 11th time in 2014. Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb (2-5) was the hard-luck loser, yielding an unearned run on four hits and four walks with six strikeouts over seven innings.

The Rays loaded the bases with none out in the first inning before Gausman retired the next three batters – two on strikeouts. Nick Markakis reached on a two-out error by second baseman Ben Zobrist in the fifth and scored the opening run when Pearce lined a shot down the right-field line.

Longoria led off the sixth inning with a double, but James Loney struck out and Zobrist’s looper to left field turned into a double play. Cruz belted his 22nd homer of the season – his first since June 3 -- to left field off reliever Kirby Yates in the eighth and Tommy Hunter pitched two hitless frames for the Orioles.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Pearce is 8-for-18 with three homers, three doubles, six RBIs, five runs and five walks in six games at Tampa Bay this season. … Rays OF Brandon Guyer (thumb), on a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Durham, went 4-for-4 on Wednesday and could be activated from the disabled list soon. … Tampa Bay continues its homestand with four games against Houston, starting Thursday, and the Orioles begin a three-game set at the New York Yankees on Friday.