Rapp an Escape Artist in Orioles’ 5-1 Victory

B.J. Surhoff hit a three-run homer and Pat Rapp gave up 11 hits but only one run in six-plus innings as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 5-1, Monday at St. Petersburg, Fla.

“I got two outs a bunch of times and couldn’t put them away,” said Rapp, who hadn’t won since defeating the Chicago White Sox on April 25--a stretch that included two losses and three consecutive no decisions.

“I gave up a base hit, then another base hit and then I’d have to battle with two guys on,” said the right-hander, who allowed at least one hit in every inning. “I was able to get out of it with guys on today.”

Surhoff’s sixth homer finished a four-run second off Steve Trachsel (3-5), and Mike Bordick homered in the eighth as the Orioles won for the fifth time in six games. Jeff Conine had a RBI single in the second, but twice hit into double plays with the bases loaded.

Surhoff was seven for 55 (.127) before he homered.

A day after pounding out a franchise-record 20 hits in a 14-4 victory over the Seattle, the Devil Rays finished with 13 hits. But they were just one for 11 with runners in scoring position, stranding 11.

“We didn’t hit with men on base. That’s basically the game,” Manager Larry Rothschild said. “Thirteen hits with only one run. That says you’re not hitting with men on. And, that was the case.”

Trachsel, pitching on two days’ rest after lasting just a third of an inning in a loss to Oakland on Friday night, got off to another shaky start. Conine’s RBI single gave Baltimore a 1-0 lead, and Surhoff followed with his sixth homer before the Tampa Bay starter settled down.

It was Turn Back The Clock Day at Tropicana Field, with the Orioles wearing replicas of uniforms from their 1970 World Series championship season. The Devil Rays wore uniforms of the 1966 minor league St. Petersburg Saints.

The jerseys will be auctioned for charity. Bidding started over the weekend and Cal Ripken Jr.’s jersey already was at $1,276.

Texas 3, Detroit 2--Third baseman Mike Lamb short-hopped Deivi Cruz’s hard grounder with the bases loaded and started a game-ending double play as the Rangers held off the Tigers at Detroit.

Kenny Rogers (4-5), helped by home runs from Luis Alicea and Rafael Palmeiro, won for the first time in a month.

Seattle 5, Chicago 4--Edgar Martinez singled in two runs in a four-run fifth inning to increase his major league-leading total to 57 and John Halama improved to 6-0 as the Mariners rallied past the White Sox at Seattle.

Martinez, who has hit in 14 consecutive games, went two for two. He walked twice.

Halama, who hasn’t lost in nine starts since last Oct. 3 against Oakland, allowed four runs--three earned--and six hits in seven-plus innings.

Kaz Sasaki pitched the ninth for his seventh save in eight chances.