Orioles slip past Rays, stay in first-place tie with Yankees

BALTIMORE -- Manny Machado led off the ninth inning with a single and scored the winning run on a single by Nate McLouth, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2, last night to retain a share of first place in the AL East.

The rookie also made a key defensive play in the top of the ninth for the Orioles, who moved 18 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 1997 season. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox, 5-4, last night in Boston.

The Orioles will seek to complete a three-game sweep of Tampa Bay Thursday.

B.J. Upton homered for the Rays, who fell three games behind the Yankees and Orioles. Tampa Bay stranded 11 and went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Machado led off the ninth with a single off Kyle Farnsworth (1-5), took second on a bunt and scored when McLouth hit a liner off the rightfield wall. McLouth has assumed the leadoff role in place of Nick Markakis, who broke his left thumb on Saturday.

In the top of the ninth, pinch runner Rich Thompson was on second with two outs when Evan Longoria topped a pitch from Jim Johnson (2-1) down the third-base line. Machado picked it up and faked a throw to first as Thompson rounded third. Machado flipped the ball to shortstop J.J. Hardy at third base, starting a rundown that ended with Thompson being tagged out by catcher Matt Wieters.

"I was trying to get Evan out to be honest, but then when I came up I saw I had no chance," Machado said. "So I did a pump-fake and tried to deke the runner. It was just natural. I just came out and didn't think about it."

What made the play even more impressive is that Machado is a converted shortstop. He was moved to third base because the Orioles have Hardy at shortstop.