BALTIMORE (Interstat) — The Baltimore Orioles erased a two-run deficit in the bottom of the 13th inning Monday afternoon, scoring four times to stun the Tampa Bay Rays 9-7 in a marathon that began in the afternoon and ended in the evening at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Colton Cowser delivered the decisive blow, a two-run homer to right-center field that scored Blaze Alexander and sent the announced crowd of 22,388 into a frenzy. The walk-off blast capped a wild bottom of the 13th after Tampa Bay had taken a 7-5 lead in the top half. The game lasted 4 hours, 12 minutes and featured 24 hits, 12 by each side, and seven total home runs.

Tampa Bay, which entered with the best record in the American League at 34-17, appeared in control after scoring two runs in the top of the 11th and one in the 12th and 13th. But the Orioles, now 23-31, answered each time and finally broke through in the 13th.

The comeback began when Jeremiah Jackson scored on a double by Leody Taveras. Jackson had reached on a pop out that moved runners, but Taveras lined a double to right to bring him home. Blaze Alexander followed with a single to center, putting runners at the corners. Jackson Holliday then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Taveras to tie the game at 7. Alexander advanced to second on the play. Cowser then smashed his third home run of the season, a no-doubt shot to right-center, scoring Alexander and ending the game.

Dietrich Enns earned the win, improving to 3-0, after pitching a scoreless top of the 13th. Jesse Scholtens took the loss, falling to 5-3, after allowing the four runs in the bottom of the 13th.

The game featured strong starting pitching but ultimately turned into a slugfest. Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan worked 5.1 innings, allowing three hits and no earned runs while striking out three. He left with the game scoreless. Baltimore’s Kyle Bradish was equally effective, tossing six shutout innings with five hits allowed, one earned run and three strikeouts. Bradish had a no-decision but was the top star for Baltimore.

Tampa Bay broke the deadlock in the sixth when Jonathan Aranda led off with a home run to right-center, his ninth of the season. The Rays added a run in the eighth when Richie Palacios singled home Oliver Dunn, who had doubled and advanced on an error.

Baltimore answered in the seventh, scoring two runs on an RBI single by Blaze Alexander and a run-scoring single by Taylor Ward, aided by a throwing error.

The game remained tied 2-2 through nine innings, sending it to extra innings.

In the 11th, Victor Mesa Jr. hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to right-center that scored Cedric Mullins and gave Tampa Bay a 4-2 lead. The Orioles responded in the bottom half with two runs of their own. Pete Alonso singled home Adley Rutschman, and Jeremiah Jackson singled home Alonso to tie it at 4.

Tampa Bay went ahead again in the 12th on a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Aranda that scored Chandler Simpson. Baltimore answered in the bottom of the 12th when Gunnar Henderson reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Cowser, knotting the game at 5.

In the 13th, Tampa Bay pushed two runs across. Richie Palacios bunted for a single, Cedric Mullins singled home Oliver Dunn, and Nick Fortes sacrificed home Palacios. That set the stage for Baltimore’s four-run rally.

Key contributors included Aranda, who finished 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. Mesa Jr. went 1 for 5 with a homer and two RBIs. For Baltimore, Cowser was 1 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. Bradish’s outing was the highlight for Baltimore’s pitching staff. The bullpen also saw strong performances from Rico Garcia, who pitched two innings of one-hit relief, and Grant Wolfram, who recorded one out.

Tampa Bay used five relievers, including Casey Legumina, who tossed two scoreless innings, and Bryan Baker, who pitched a perfect ninth.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Orioles, who had dropped their previous three games to Tampa Bay, including a 16-6 loss on May 18. The Rays had won 10 of their last 12 games entering the day.

Tampa Bay will continue its road trip with the second game of the series Tuesday. Baltimore will host the Rays again before a four-game home stand against Toronto later in the week.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tampa Bay Rays 8, Baltimore Orioles 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Tampa Bay with a 55.30 percent probability to win. Tampa Bay had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 16 went under the over/under line of 7.5.