Orioles outlast Mariners in marathon 18 innings

SEATTLE: The Baltimore Orioles beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 in 18 innings from 2-0 down in the ninth to stay on the tail of the New York Yankees for the lead in the American League East division on Tuesday.
The Orioles pulled within a percentage point of the Yankees, who were rained out and will play a double-header with Toronto on Wednesday. Baltimore maintained a three-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels for the wild-card spot. The Angels beat Texas 11-3.
Taylor Teagarden stroked a pinch-hit RBI single for the Orioles’ game-winning run almost six hours after the start.
Nate McLouth opened the 18th with a walk, advanced to third off J.J. Hardy’s single, and Teagarden lifted his hit down the right-field line. Jim Johnson worked the 18th to pick up his 44th save — most in the majors — in 47 opportunities.
The Orioles rallied in the ninth off starter Erasmo Ramirez, who had allowed just two hits and was sitting on a 2-0 lead entering the inning. Pinch-hitter Ryan Flaherty and McLouth opened with singles to bring in closer Tom Wilhelmsen, and Chris Davis followed with a two-run single to right.
It’s the first time the Orioles have been 20 games over .500 since the last day of the 1997 season.
The Boston Red Sox dealt the Tampa Bay Rays a 7-5 loss in their fading playoff hopes. The Red Sox beat their AL East rivals for the second straight night, extending Tampa Bay’s losing streak to four games and dropping the third-place Rays six games behind the Yankees.
Jered Weaver earned his 100th victory as the Los Angeles scored eight runs in the fourth inning in beating Texas and moving up in the AL playoff race. The Angels moved within 3½ games of wild card-leading Oakland with their 15th win in 20 games.
The Detroit Tigers had no trouble overcoming an early injury to pitcher Max Scherzer in a 12-2 rout of the Oakland Athletics as Miguel Cabrera homered twice, including an eighth-inning grand slam.
The AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox won their fifth straight at the expense of Kansas 3-2, and Minnesota beat Cleveland 6-5 in 12 innings.
In the National League, St. Louis beat Houston 4-1 to stay in front for the second wild card. Kyle Lohse threw seven scoreless innings for his 15th victory and contributed an RBI double in the Astros’ 100th loss.
Milwaukee moved in front of fading Pittsburgh — 4-12 this month — in the jumbled wild card race by downing the weary Pirates 6-0. Ryan Braun had two hits, drove in a run and stole three bases for the Brewers.
San Francisco moved closer to the NL West crown thanks to a 6-3 win over Colorado, and Cincinnati closed in the Central title by defeating the Chicago Cubs 3-1. Cincinnati’s Dusty Baker managed his 3,000th MLB game.
Arizona finally beat San Diego at home 3-2 after six losses, and Miami ended Atlanta’s four-game winning roll 4-3 in 10 innings.