BALTIMORE, Maryland, Saturday, July 16, 2016 - Tampa Bay starting pitcher Matt Moore kept trying to get Oriole Shortstop J. J. Hardy to swing at a low fastball. That got Moore behind on the count, 2-0, in the second inning with Matt Wieters already at first base on a single. Moore got a strike with his third pitch, but the fourth pitch, well, he'd dearly like to have that one back. The ball was up just enough for Hardy to turn on it and send it far over the left field wall for a two-run homer. It was Hardy's fourth of the season, not bad when you consider that he missed much of the first half of the season with injuries.
Chris Tillman threw seven strong innings and Brad Brach and Zach Britton followed with perfect innings as the Orioles won their third straight game and maintained their two game A.L. Eastern Division lead over the Red Sox, and built their lead over third-place Toronto to 4 games after the Jays lost for the second game in a row to the Athletics. Tillman won his 13th game of the season against only two losses. It was also his third straight start of seven innings or more. Britton earned his 29th save of the season to lead the American League. He is perfect in save opportunities.
All of this comes the night before Dylan Bundy makes his first major league start for the Orioles against the Rays in the series finale on Sunday. Bundy was Baltimore's first round draft choice in 2011, but underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013 and hardly pitched at all the next two seasons. But Bundy has pitched well out of the Oriole bullpen this season, especially of late, prompting Baltimore to turn to him tomorrow.
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