EditorsNote: Edit 1: Fixed formatting in third graf.
Pedro Severino hit a grand slam, and John Means threw seven solid innings as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 7-1 Saturday night.
Severino broke the game open with his grand slam off Austin Pruitt in the third inning. It was the Baltimore catcher's first career grand slam.
The Orioles also got homers from Hanser Alberto and Jonathan Villar, and that gave Means more than enough offensive support. Means has struggled since the All-Star break but made some mechanical adjustments and pitched better in his last two starts.
Means (9-9) took a no-hitter into the sixth in his previous start -- versus the Kansas City Royals -- before giving up three runs in the sixth and losing. This time, he was more efficient with his pitch count and allowed one run and five hits in his seven innings.
Means threw 70 of his 100 pitches for strikes, fanning seven without a walk.
Orioles reliever Hunter Harvey came on in the eighth for his third major league appearance and was impressive again in a scoreless inning, often throwing fastballs in the high 90s. Mychal Givens then finished it in the ninth.
That also ended a four-game Baltimore losing streak against the Rays and a skid of 12 in a row against teams from the American League East.
Jose Alvarado (1-6) was the Tampa Bay opener and experienced control problems. He lasted just one-third of an inning, walked three and threw two wild pitches, one of which let in a run.
In that first inning, Alberto led off with a walk and went to third on a Villar single. Alberto then scored on a wild pitch for a quick 1-0 lead.
The Orioles stretched the lead in the third when Severino belted his grand slam to left. Then, an inning later, Alberto and Villar hit back-to-back solo homers that gave Baltimore a 7-0 lead.
Tampa Bay finally got to Means in the fifth when Michael Brosseau hit a solo homer, but the Rays could do no more.
--Field Level Media
