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BALTIMORE -- On a night in which the Baltimore Orioles found all sorts of ways to score, their final run was appropriately the result of an intentional walk to a . Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | .188 hitter and an opposite-field bloop. J.J. Hardy put Baltimore ahead with a seventh-inning single, and the Orioles rallied past Tampa Bay 5-4 Thursday night to lengthen their lead in the AL East. Steve Pearce homered for the Orioles, who took three of four from the sinking Rays. The victory, combined with the Yankees loss to Detroit, put Baltimore seven games ahead of New York with 30 games remaining. "To win a four-game series in the division, thats huge," winning pitcher Andrew Miller said. "Hopefully we can carry some momentum out of that." After Pearces first-inning homer, the Orioles scored on a delayed double steal, a bases-loaded grounder and a throwing error. Then, with the score tied at 4 in the seventh, Baltimore took its first lead. Nelson Cruz doubled with two outs off Kirby Yates (0-2) and Chris Davis was walked intentionally despite coming to the plate with a .188 batting average. Hardy followed with a pop to right field that fell in. Asked if he was surprised Davis received the free pass, Hardy replied, "A little bit. But I was just thinking about hitting the ball hard. Didnt happen, but it worked." The left-handed hitting Davis said, "I see the reasoning behind it. Right-handed pitcher on the mound, right-handed hitter behind me. (I) had some good swings on a couple of balls earlier in the game." Rays manager Joe Maddon justified his decision, noting, "Yates, the guy hes got to be able to get out is Hardy in that moment because he really matches up extremely well against him. I know it was a blooper, but the pitch was elevated and thats why he was able to do what he did." Miller (4-5) pitched 1 2-3 hitless innings and Zach Britton worked a perfect ninth for his 29th save. Evan Longoria homered and drove in two runs for the Rays, who lost their second road series in the last 11. It was a rough night for Tampa Bay shortstop Yunel Escobar, who made two errors, went hitless and was struck in the hand with a pitch. Tampa Bay used a two-run fifth to take a 4-2 lead. Longoria followed two singles with a sacrifice fly and James Loney hit an RBI double. The Orioles loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half and tied it when Escobar threw wildly to first base trying to complete a double play. That, according to Maddon, was far more significant than the intentional walk. "You cant do that and expect to win," he said. "Baltimores playing at a high level. I think we have been also. We uncharacteristically gave this game up on defence tonight. And we just did and thats the story line, pure and simple." It also hurt that each time Tampa Bay took a two-run lead, the Orioles answered a two-run uprising with one of its own. For the fourth time in the series, the Rays scored first, this time in the first inning against Bud Norris. After Matt Joyce delivered a sacrifice fly, Longoria hit his 17th home run. In the bottom half, Pearce hit a solo shot and Adam Jones stole home after Cruz forced a rundown by breaking for second base. It was Baltimores first steal of home since Robert Andino did it in June 2009. Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | . But its also a smart game. Theres more to the Kings than banging bodies. They take a toll mentally on their opponents. Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | . At times during a solid but not spectacular season, they looked all three. Still the defending AFC champions persevered, riding their top-ranked defence and key contributions from younger players to a 12-4 record and their eighth playoff appearance since 2000, remarkable consistency in a league where change is the only constant. Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | . The young man, never lacking confidence, thought he could be really good.LONDON -- The enforced inclusion of No. 8 Ben Morgan for the injured Billy Vunipola was the only change in the England run-on side for the Six Nations showdown with Wales at Twickenham on Sunday. Vunipola came off with a sprained ankle in the first half of the 13-10 win over Ireland two weeks ago and was replaced by Morgan. Vunipola has been ruled out of the last two rounds of the championship. Morgan, as expected, stays where he finishes, and Exeters Tom Johnson, capped five times, takes Morgans spot in the reserves. Coach Stuart Lancaster has said he regards Morgan and Vunipola as "like for like" in their ability to make the hard yards. Morgan became second-choice to the more dynamic Vunipola during the autumn tests, and will make his first start in nine months.. Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | . There are six survivors from the run-on side which was pounded 30-3 by Wales in Cardiff last year, denying England the Grand Slam in the tournament finale. While Wales is going for an unprecedented third consecutive outright Six Nations title, England is looking to beat Wales for the first time in Lancasters tenure. The winner on Sunday will play for the title next week, when England heads to Italy. ------ England: Mike Brown, Jack Nowell, Luther Burrell, Billy Twelvetrees, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Danny Care; Ben Morgan, Chris Robshaw (captain), Tom Wood, Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury, David Wilson, Dylan Hartley, Joe Marler. Reserves: Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola, Henry Thomas, Dave Attwood, Tom Johnson, Lee Dickson, George Ford, Alex Goode. Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | Only registered users can see links on this board! Get registred or enter the forums! | Only registered users can see links on this board! 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