Brian Matusz tossed seven shutout innings and the visiting Baltimore Orioles prevented the Tampa Bay Rays from clinching a playoff spot with a 4-0 victory on Monday night.
Nick Markakis had two hits and two RBIs as the Orioles won the opener of the three-game series behind a dominating performance by Matusz.
The Rays maintained their half-game lead in the American League East as the New York Yankees lost in Toronto.
Matusz (9-12) extended his winning streak to five games by allowing three hits - all singles - while striking out eight and walking two.
Rays starter Wade Davis (12-10) had his seven-game winning streak snapped. He was charged with three runs on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings in losing for the first time since June 27.
Markakis tripled in a run off Davis in the fifth, just his second hit off Davis in 17 at-bats. He added a single in Baltimore's three-run seventh.
Rays third baseman Evan Longoria sat out his fourth consecutive game with a strained quad.
Baltimore | Tampa Bay | |
Brian Matusz | Player | Wade Davis |
Win | W/L | Loss |
7.0 | IP | 6.1 |
8 | Strikeouts | 2 |
3 | Hits | 7 |
0.00 | ERA | 4.26 |
Baltimore | Tampa Bay | |
Luke Scott | Player | Jason Bartlett |
2 | Hits | 1 |
1 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
2 | TB | 1 |
.667 | Avg | .333 |