BALTIMORE (AP) — Jeremiah Jackson hit a two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
Tyler O'Neill homered for the Orioles in the second inning, then Baltimore didn't have another hit until the eighth when Jackson came up.
With the Cubs up 2-1, Tyler Ferguson (0-1) allowed a walk and a hit batter with one out. That set up some managerial chess, with Baltimore sending lefty-swinging Dylan Beavers up to pinch-hit, only for Chicago to replace Ferguson with left-hander Ryan Rolison. Then the Orioles sent up the right-handed Jackson to hit for Beavers.
Jackson sent a drive to the gap in right-center field. Gunnar Henderson scored easily, and Pete Alonso barely beat the throw home with a head-first slide.
Tyler Wells (2-1) won in relief despite allowing an RBI double by Seiya Suzuki in the top of the eighth. Suzuki also homered in the sixth.
Andrew Kittridge worked the ninth for his second save, and Baltimore avoided a three-game sweep. Henderson made an error at shortstop to start the inning, but Nico Hoerner was caught stealing when his slide took him off the base at second.
Pinch-hitter Michael Conforto lined out to left with a man on second to end it, just as it was beginning to rain hard at Camden Yards. The game was moved from the night to the afternoon because of the possibility of bad weather.
Cubs starter David Peterson allowed 10 runs in his previous start against St. Louis. But like they have against many left-handers this year, the Orioles couldn't do much against him. He allowed a run and two hits in five innings.
Baltimore lefty Trevor Rogers allowed a run and five hits in six innings. He's allowed two runs in 24 1/3 innings over his past four starts.
The Cubs are at Cincinnati on Friday night. Shota Imanaga (5-7) takes the mound for Chicago against Hunter Greene (0-1).
The Orioles host Kansas City. Brandon Young (7-2) starts for Baltimore against Luinder Avila (4-3).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) looks to tag Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch (29) at the plate in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 9, 2026 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) connects for a single against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 9, 2026 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Baltimore Orioles right fielder Tyler O'Neill (9) follows through on a solo home run against the Chicago Cubs in the second inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 9, 2026 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Ben Rice hit two homers and drove in five runs, Austin Wells also went deep and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 12-4 Thursday to split a four-game series between the AL’s top two teams.
Junior Caminero connected for the Rays, who have a four-game lead over the Yankees in the East.
Both Rice and Caminero will compete in the Home Run Derby in Philadelphia on Monday night.
The injury-riddled Yankees improved to 15-19 without three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge, who will have his injured right rib reimaged next week.
The Yankees won for just the third time in 14 games. They’ve lost seven games in the standings in that span as the Rays have gone 10-4.
Tampa Bay’s pitchers had 45 strikeouts and only two walks in the first three games of the series before New York’s slumping hitters broke out with 14 hits and 12 runs.
Thursday's win had the most runs and hits in a game for the Yankees since a 12-2 victory over the White Sox on June 16.
The Yankees chased All-Star Drew Rasmussen (7-5) with five straight hits during a six-run third inning.
Trent Grisham’s RBI single gave New York a 2-1 lead and Rice followed with a two-run drive to right.
Rasmussen then gave up consecutive infield singles and left after Jose Caballero’s RBI single. The right-hander allowed six runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings. His ERA rose from 2.73 to 3.26.
Rasmussen came in with an 0.89 ERA — five earned runs in 50 2/3 innings — against New York. It was the lowest for a pitcher against any opponent in major league history since earned runs became an official stat in 1913.
Reliever Paul Blackburn started for the Yankees, who used seven pitchers in a bullpen game. Blackburn gave up one run in two innings. Ryan Yarbrough (1-0) tossed a scoreless inning for the win.
Rice hit his 28th homer, a towering, three-run shot to right-center, off Casey Legumina in the sixth to extend New York’s lead to 10-3. He's second in the AL behind Houston's Yordan Alvarez, who has 29. Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber leads the majors with 32 going into Thursday night's game at Cincinnati.
Caminero hit his 27th homer 438 feet the opposite way to right-center in the first.
Wells ended a 23-game homerless streak with his first since May 22, also against the Rays.
Yankees: LHP Ryan Weathers (3-7, 4.29 ERA) starts Friday at Washington.
Rays: RHP Nick Martinez (7-2, 2.61) goes to the mound against Seattle.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Nick Fortes watches as New York Yankees' Ryan McMahon hits an RBI double during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 9, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen reacts after New York Yankees' Ben Rice's two-run home run is upheld during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, July 9, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
New York Yankees José Caballero runs to first for an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday, July 9, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
New York Yankees' Ben Rice rounds the bases after his three-run homer during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
New York Yankees' Ben Rice celebrates after his two-run home run is upheld during the third inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday, July 9, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
