BALTIMORE -- The Tampa Bay Rays are doing a good job of creating some separation between themselves and the Baltimore Orioles, while at the same time tracking down the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. Even though its not September yet, the Rays dont intend to wait around to make their run at the top. Alex Cobb took a two-hitter into the seventh inning, Matt Joyce drove in three runs and Tampa Bay beat the Orioles 7-4 Tuesday night for its sixth win in seven games. Wil Myers had two hits and two RBIs for the Rays, who are percentage points ahead of Boston in the AL East after the Red Sox lost to the Giants later Tuesday night. Tampa Bay has won the first two games of this series between AL East rivals and can complete a sweep Wednesday night. "Its very big for where were at in the division and the fact were chasing the Red Sox a little bit and also trying to create some distance, because we know the Os and the Yankees are very capable and very tough competitors," said Ben Zobrist, who had two hits and an RBI. "We dont anticipate it being any sort of easy road to the end of September and weve got to battle. This is two great wins for us to start off." The Orioles, on the other hand, have lost six of eight and are in danger of being overtaken by the surging Yankees. "Its not the position we would prefer to find ourselves in after the first two games of the series, thats for sure, but theres still plenty of baseball left for us to make up some ground," said Nate McLouth, who went 0 for 5. "Its not ideal at all, but we wont let this game affect (Wednesdays) game." Cobb (8-2) was making his second start since being hit in the head by a line drive off the bat of Kansas Citys Eric Hosmer on June 15. The right-hander allowed two runs, one earned, three hits and four walks in six-plus innings to win his fifth straight decision. "The curveball really helped me out early on," Cobb said. "My changeup started working a little bit so I established that I was going to throw in and out with the fastball early and I got them to expand the zone a few times with my off-speed pitches." Cobb left after Baltimore used two walks and a single to load the bases with no outs in the seventh. Alex Torres got Brian Roberts to hit into a run-scoring double play before striking out McLouth to keep the Rays ahead 3-2. "They brought in that lefty with that really good changeup to come in and do exactly what he did and thats why theyre such a tough team," McLouth said. "Because they can make life pretty tough on you." Joyce doubled in two runs in the ninth off T.J. McFarland and Myers added a broken-bat, two-run single off Jim Johnson. Matt Wieters hit a two-run homer in the bottom half before Fernando Rodney entered and got three outs for his 29th save. Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez (8-6) gave up three runs, two earned, eight hits and four walks in 5 2-3 innings. The right-hander is 0-3 in five starts since July 20. One night after getting 15 hits in a 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay, Baltimore managed only five hits, four of them singles. "We didnt get any hits. Thats obvious," manager Buck Showalter said. "If you want to look for a reason, I personally look at Cobb, who was tough. We didnt do much off him tonight. I think that was it in a nutshell." The Rays have won seven of eight against the Orioles to take an 8-5 lead in the season series. The two teams with the fewest errors in the majors each gave up an unearned run in the second inning. In the top half, Joyce walked, advanced on an errant pickoff throw by Gonzalez and scored on a two-out bloop by Yunel Escobar. Baltimore tied it when Evan Longoria muffed a grounder and Flaherty singled in a run with two outs. Tampa Bay went up 3-1 in the third. After Desmond Jennings walked and scored on a double by Zobrist, Longoria singled and Joyce delivered a sacrifice fly. Gonzalez worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth by getting James Loney to bounce into a double play. NOTES: Zobrist moved into a fifth-place tie with B.J. Upton on the teams career RBI list with 447. Aubrey Huff is in fourth with 449. ... Jeremy Hellickson, whos 8-3 lifetime against Baltimore, starts for Tampa Bay in the series finale Wednesday night. LH Wei-Yin Chen will pitch for Baltimore. ... The Orioles had won five straight over the Rays with Gonzalez as the starter. ... McLouth is hitless in his last 17 at-bats. http://www.germanynationalshop.com/Emre-Can-Germany-Jersey/ . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. 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Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. http://www.germanynationalshop.com/Julian-Weigl-Germany-Jersey/ . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases.DETROIT -- Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez kept his eye on the ball. He tried, too, anyway, and wound up making a game-saving play. Perez tagged out Prince Fielder at the plate, preserving the Royals 1-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night. "We had to win this ballgame and the manner in which we did it was just exciting," Royals manager Ned Yost said. Ervin Santana (9-9) and the Royals moved up on the two teams ahead them in the race for the second AL wild-card spot, with the Yankees and Orioles both losing. Tampa Bay currently holds that final playoff position. Greg Holland closed for his 43rd save, helped by an outstanding defensive play that shut down the AL Central leaders. Fielder walked to open the ninth, and the Tigers burly first baseman tried to score from first on Omar Infantes two-out double. Gold Glover Alex Gordon made a strong throw from the left-field corner to Alcides Escobar, and the shortstop then made the relay throw to Perez. Escobars throw came in to Perez behind Fielder and the ball was shielded from the catchers sight for about two seconds. "I didnt see the ball," Perez said. "I just put my glove down and got the short hop and tagged him." Escobar couldnt believe Perezs play. "Unbelievable!" Escobar said. "That game was one of the best games Ive ever played in in my career." Detroit manager Jim Leyland agreed with third base coach Tom Brookens decision to send Fielder. "Really, they executed that play to perfection," Leyland said. "The only tthing was, when I saw the throw coming in, I thought he might get a bad hop, but he made a terrific pick of that ball, and tag.dddddddddddd" Eric Hosmer had an RBI triple in the first for the Royals. He was thrown out at the plate on a grounder. Santana (9-9) won for the first time since Aug. 4, outpitching Doug Fister (12-9). He allowed five hits in 6 2-3 innings, walking one and striking out five. "Everything was working pretty good," Santana said. "I threw a lot of strikes and most of the time ahead in the count. That was the key." Miguel Cabrera made a bid to put Detroit ahead with two outs and a runner on in the sixth, but Gordon caught his long drive to left-centre at the fence. Gordon lined a single on Fisters first pitch of the game, and he scored on Hosmers one-out triple. Royals second baseman Emilio Bonifacio was ejected by first base umpire James Hoye after being picked off first base by Fister for the final out of the third. Chris Getz, who is from the Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe, took over at second base for Kansas City. NOTES: Kansas City trainer Nick Kenney came out to check on Santana after he was hit by Andy Dirks liner in the second. Santana recovered to throw Dirks out at first. Santana ultimately threw a couple of warmup pitches and continued. ... The Royals are 10-8 against the Tigers this season, clinching the season series with one game left. ... In Sundays series finale, Detroits Max Scherzer (19-3, 3.01) will go for his 20th win against Kansas City RHP Jeremy Guthrie (14-10, 4.11). Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '