ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ Embattled Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez's bid to end the club's stretch of 19 straight games of allowing at least five runs lasted all of two innings, and his second start back in the rotation didn't extend much past that.
By the time he exited the game, the Orioles were well on their way to a 15-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field, dropping them to 35-38 on the season and 11-24 on the road.
The Rays scored four times in a marathon first inning to start things off on a sour note for the visitors. The Rays added their fifth run in the second to draw the Orioles even with the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies at 20 straight games without holding an opponent under five runs.
Two-run home runs from left fielder Shane Peterson and catcher Derek Norris in the third inning spelled the end for Jimenez, who never really got in a groove.
He went to his first of four full counts on the day against speedy leadoff man Mallex Smith in the first. Once Jimenez walked him, he was so focused on throwing over to first and holding him that he walked Corey Dickerson on four pitches. Both advanced on a passed ball when Welington Castillo and Jimenez got crossed up, and scored on a single to center field by third baseman Evan Longoria.
Longoria scored on a triple by first baseman Logan Morrison, who came in on a groundout by Peterson.
After a 36-pitch first inning, Jimenez allowed just the one run in the fifth to tie the Phillies' record, but was hit hard in the third before Alec Asher replaced him.
Jimenez went 21/3 innings and allowed nine runs on seven hits and four walks with one strikeout, raising his ERA from 6.25 to 7.26 in a single start.
