BALTIMORE (Interstat) — Samuel Basallo hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning to break open a tight game, and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-1 on Tuesday night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The announced attendance was 11,878, and the game lasted 2 hours, 24 minutes.

Orioles right-hander Shane Baz pitched seven strong innings to earn his second win against five losses. He allowed seven hits and one earned run while striking out nine. Andrew Kittredge and Grant Wolfram each pitched a scoreless inning of relief to close the game. Tampa Bay starter Griffin Jax took the loss, falling to 1-3 after allowing six runs, four of them earned, over four-plus innings.

Baltimore improved to 25-30, while Tampa Bay dropped to 34-18.

The Rays struck first in the opening inning. Chandler Simpson led off the game with a double to right field, then scored on a sharp line-drive single by Jonathan Aranda. Yandy Diaz followed with a single that moved Aranda to third, but Richie Palacios grounded into a double play to end the inning with Tampa Bay ahead 1-0.

Tampa Bay’s lead evaporated in the bottom of the second when Baltimore pushed across three runs, aided by defensive miscues. Samuel Basallo reached on a fielding error by Jax, and Leody Taveras followed with a single. Jeremiah Jackson singled to load the bases. After Colton Cowser struck out, Blaze Alexander hit a fielder’s choice that brought home Basallo, and another error, this time by second baseman Palacios, allowed the bases to remain loaded. Jackson Holliday then singled to left, scoring Taveras and giving Baltimore a 2-1 lead. Taylor Ward added a sacrifice fly to center, plating Jackson and extending the lead to 3-1.

The game remained 3-1 until the fifth inning, when Baltimore broke it open. Jackson Holliday led off with a single to center. Taylor Ward flied out, and after a challenge overturned the call on the field, Gunnar Henderson reached on a fielder’s choice that advanced Holliday to second base. Pete Alonso flied out for the second out, bringing Basallo to the plate. Basallo crushed a fly ball to right-center field for his eighth home run of the season, clearing the bases and giving the Orioles a 6-1 lead. Leody Taveras followed with a bunt single but was left stranded.

From there, the Orioles’ pitching staff took control. Baz retired the side in order in the sixth and seventh innings, striking out three of the six batters he faced. Kittredge worked a perfect eighth, striking out one, and Wolfram allowed two hits in the ninth but did not surrender a run.

Tampa Bay threatened in the first and third innings, putting runners in scoring position with one out in both frames, but failed to capitalize. The Rays stranded two runners in the first, two in the third, and two more in the fifth. Overall, Tampa Bay collected nine hits, including two from Aranda and two from Simpson, but left seven runners on base.

The Orioles managed only seven hits, but their three-run second and three-run fifth proved decisive. Taveras had two hits, and Jackson and Cowser each singled. Blaze Alexander, despite an 0-for-4 night, drove in a run on a fielder’s choice.

The game marked the second straight contest between the teams at Camden Yards, following a 9-7, 13-inning Orioles victory Monday. Baltimore has now won the first two games of the four-game series. The teams are scheduled to meet again Wednesday night, before the Rays return home to face the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.

This series has been competitive recently. In four head-to-head meetings this season prior to Monday, Tampa Bay had won three, including a 16-6 blowout on May 18 and a 5-3 victory on May 20. Baltimore’s only previous win in the season series came in Monday’s extra-inning affair.

Tuesday’s result moved Baltimore two games above its previous loss total and gave the Orioles a much-needed victory as they try to climb back toward .500. Tampa Bay, despite the loss, holds the best record in the American League and remains atop the AL East.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tampa Bay 6, Baltimore 3. Interstat’s ELO system gave Tampa Bay a 54.40 percent probability to win, and Tampa Bay was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 7 went over the over-under line of 8.5.