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BALTIMORE -- Thrust into the unwanted position of playing out the final weeks of a losing season, the Tampa Bay Rays have found a way to make the situation more tolerable.Evan Longoria homered and drove in five runs, and the last-place Rays again played the spoilers role in a 7-6 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.The loss stalled the Orioles bid to enhance their position in the playoff picture. Baltimore dropped two games behind AL East-leading Boston and fell even with Toronto in the loss column in the duel for the top wild-card spot.Tampa Bay has won three straight, including the last two of a three-game series in Toronto. The Rays also defeated the wild-card contending Yankees on Sunday.Its fun that we are playing competitive baseball, Longoria said. Its one thing to go out in a great environment against a team that is a playoff contender, but to be in the game and winning games is the best thing about it.The Rays arent embracing the role of spoiler. Theyre just trying to go out on a high note, and if it hurts their opponent, well so be it.Were playing well and this is great learning experience for all of us in these environments, manager Kevin Cash said.Longoria said: I dont think were coming to the ballpark everyday thinking we want to spoil this team or that teams chances of getting to the playoffs.Tampa Bay avoided being eliminated from playoff contention, but a Toronto victory against the Angels later Thursday would mathematically end the Rays chances of reaching the postseason.Alex Colome worked the ninth for his 33rd save. After the Orioles got runners at first and third with one out, the right-hander struck out major league home run leader Mark Trumbo and slugger Chris Davis.Baltimore went 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position.Although the temperature was a comfortable 72 degrees and the Orioles are in the midst of a playoff push, the game attracted an announced crowd of only 19,233.Longoria put the Rays up 3-0 before Yovani Gallardo (5-8) got an out. Baltimore answered in the bottom half with a two-run single by Matt Wieters and a two-run double by J.J. Hardy.Tampa Bay pulled even in the second, went ahead in the third and used Longorias two-run single to make it 7-4 in the fourth.When Orioles manager Buck Showalter emerged from the dugout to pull Gallardo in the fourth, many of the hometown fans cheered. They subsequently booed the right-hander as he walked toward the dugout.Gallardo gave up six runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. In 21 starts this season, hes surrendered 21 earned runs in the first inning.Baltimores Nolan Reimold hit into a double play with runners on the corners in the fourth. The Rays worked out of an even bigger jam in the fifth, retiring Manny Machado, Trumbo and Davis with runners at second and third.Brad Boxberger (4-1) got the last two outs in the fifth.Run-scoring groundouts by Hardy and Michael Bourn made it 7-6 in the eighth.TRAINERS ROOMRays: 1B Nick Franklin left in the fifth inning with a left hamstring strain. ... 1B Logan Morrison will get a second opinion on whether surgery is required for his season-ending left wrist injury. Morrison was injured while taking a swing Sunday and received an MRI this week.Orioles: OF Steve Pearce will be sidelined until the final week of the season, maybe longer, after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his throwing arm Wednesday. ... RHP Darren ODay (rotator cuff strain) will throw a simulated game Friday.UP NEXTRays: Chris Archer (8-18, 4.05 ERA) starts Friday night, seeking to pad his AL-leading strikeout total of 217. He also hopes to avoid setting the franchise record for losses in a season. The right-hander is currently tied with Tanyon Sturtze, who lost 18 in 2002.Orioles: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (7-11, 5.98) strives to win his fourth straight start. Hes got a 2.83 ERA in his last four outings. WHOLESALE NBA JERSEYS CHINA . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. JERSEYS NFL WHOLESALE . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. http://www.chinacheapnfljerseyswholesale.com/ . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. CHEAP AUTHENTIC NBA JERSEYS .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. CHEAP FOOTBALL JERSEYS . Roman Josi had a goal and an assist to lead the Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night. MANCHESTER, England -- John Stones became the second most expensive defender in football history on Tuesday, joining Manchester City for 47.5 million pounds ($62 million) as the latest solution to the clubs defensive issues.Embarrassingly for City, the club was beaten to the announcement of its latest high-profile signing by UEFA, which listed Stones in the English teams squad for the Champions League playoff round about 45 minutes before City tweeted the center back had joined.Stones, who signed a six-year deal, is second behind David Luiz in the all-time list of the games most expensive defenders -- despite not being a regular at former club Everton last season. Luiz joined Paris Saint-Germain from Chelsea for 50 million pounds in 2014.City regards Stones as one of the best young defenders in Europe and was keen to make another expensive attempt to improve its back line, after spending an estimated 60 million pounds on Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi over the past two seasons. Neither of those players has looked assured, and City is still heavily reliant on injury-prone captain Vincent Kompany.I know it will be tough getting a place in this team, the 22-year-old Stones said, but Im determined to become the best player I can be and help us to success.Stones is Citys eighth signing under new coach Pep Guardiola, and his arrival took the clubs offseason spending to around $200 million.He is a tall defender with composure, a good technique and is comfortable on the ball -- Stones has been compared to former Man United and England center back Rio Ferdinand -- but has been criticized by some pundits for his languid style and he made mistakes at Everton last season.ddddddddddddStones was selected in Englands squad for this years European Championship but didnt make an appearance.We want to help John show his quality with us and improve on what he has already achieved, Guardiola said. I like the way he plays the game.Stones, who had a transfer request at Everton rejected last year following repeated bids by Chelsea, has been heavily linked with City since the end of last season. But he still hadnt officially joined City by the time UEFA listed Stones in the teams squad for the Champions League playoff round against Steaua Bucharest. The first leg is in Romania next Tuesday, before the return match on Aug. 24 in Manchester.UEFA required playoff-round clubs to submit a list of eligible players by 2200 GMT on Monday. Champions League rules let one more newly signed player be added to the list by 2200 GMT on the day before the first-leg match.Citys defense has struggled without Kompany, who has been injured for long spells in recent seasons and is currently sidelined with a groin problem. Guardiola may have decided he cannot rely on the Belgium international to be fit, choosing to bring in Stones to improve his options.Mangala, signed for a reported 42 million pounds in 2014, wasnt included in Citys squad for the Champions League fixtures, leaving his future at Etihad Stadium in the balance.City starts the Premier League season at home to Sunderland on Saturday.---AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report. ' ' '