BALTIMORE (AP) - David Price allowed one run over seven innings to earn his major league-leading 14th victory, Ryan Roberts homered and scored three runs in his Tampa Bay debut and the Rays cruised past the Baltimore Orioles 10-1 on Wednesday night.
Desmond Jennings homered on the game's first pitch to spark a five-run first inning, Roberts connected with a man on in the third and rookie Jose Lobaton added a three-run drive in the fifth for a 10-1 lead.
Price (14-4) gave up seven hits, struck out 10 and walked none. The left-hander has won a career-high six straight decisions (over his last seven starts) and is 9-1 in 11 starts since May 20.
Lobaton finished with three hits and four RBIs, both career highs. The 10 runs were more than the light-hitting Rays totaled in their previous four games.
Roberts arrived only a few hours before game time after being traded from Arizona late Tuesday night. In addition to his home run, the third baseman scored after being hit by a pitch in the first inning and drew a walk before Lobaton's first major league home run.
J.J. Hardy drove in the lone run for the Orioles, who must win Thursday to avert a three-game sweep.
Jennings set the tone for the game with his leadoff drive against Baltimore rookie Miguel Gonzalez (2-2). With two outs Carlos Pena singled in a run, and Gonzalez hit two straight batters with pitches to force in a run before Elliot Johnson capped the uprising with a two-run single.
In the bottom half, Nick Markakis singled, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Hardy.
Roberts made it 7-1 in the third with his first AL homer since 2006 with Toronto.
Gonzalez departed two batters later with this horrid line: 2 2-3 innings, seven runs, seven hits, two walks, two strikeouts, two home runs, three hit batters and a wild pitch.
Lobaton homered off Matt Lindstrom in the fifth after the right-hander walked two batters.
NOTES: To make room for Roberts, the Rays designated OF Hideki Matsui for assignment. Matsui was hitless in 16 at-bats since July 1. ... Baltimore C Matt Wieters went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, He has one hit in his last 27 at-bats. ... It was the 35th time the Orioles reached double digits in strikeouts, most in the AL. ... The Rays improved to 18-6 when they get at least 10 hits, but their 24 games with double-digit hits are fewest in the majors. ... James Shields will start for Tampa Bay on Thursday, and Baltimore will call upon Chris Tillman to end the team's three-game skid. ... Roberts was the ninth player to man third base for the Rays, most by an AL team since Toronto in 2007.
