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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 spoiler in a 7-6 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.The loss dropped the Orioles two games behind AL East-leading Boston. They fell into a tie with Toronto for the two AL wild cards when the Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels later Thursday.That win by Toronto mathematically eliminated Tampa Bay from playoff contention, but the Rays have won three straight -- including the last two of a three-game series in Toronto. They 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 every day thinking we want to spoil this team or that teams chances of getting to the playoffs.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. Chimezie Metu Spurs Jersey . All of the scoring came in the final 20:04. Lucic scored on a power play at 15:46 of the third period, when he tipped a shot over Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen for a 3-1 lead. Trey Lyles Jersey .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. https://www.spurslockerroom.com/Quinndary-Weatherspoon-City-Edition-Jersey/ . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Sean Elliott Jersey . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. Sean Elliott Spurs Jersey . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. Birmingham, Al. -- The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Monday approved a recommendation to name Steve Shaw the NCAA secretary-rules editor for football.Shaw, the coordinator of officials for the Southeastern Conference since 2011 and the Sun Belt Conference since 2014, will start a four-year term Sept. 1, 2017. Shaw will succeed Rogers Redding, whose term expires in August.I have a strong passion for the NCAA football playing rules, and I am honored to lead our rules-making process into a very exciting future, Shaw said. This future will certainly contain many challenges, but I believe that our game builds strong character and develops future leaders of America and, therefore, must be protected and enhanced. In addition, our game also must evolve into our new world, and the lens of player safety must be the key focus in all that we do.Shaw was considered one of the top referees in the sport before he was named coordinator of football officials in the SEC. He worked 21 years on the field as an NCAA football referee, including 15 in the SEC and six at the Division II level.Shaw worked the BCS championship game in 2000, when Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University played Florida State University, and also in 2005 when the University of Southern California played the University of Oklahoma.Shaw worked six other BCS bowl games as well, including three Rose Bowls (2003, 2009, 2011), two Fiesta Bowls (2006, 2008) and the 2010 Orange Bowl. He also officiated four SEC Championship Games in 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2006.Shaw also has contributed to college football off the field. He has been the chair of the Collegiate Coommissioners Association National Mechanics Committee since 2011.dddddddddddd In that role, he led a committee that modernized and completely rewrote the CCA manual; introduced the first set of mechanics for an eight-man officiating crew; and repurposed the manual for all officials to receive eight-, seven- and six-man mechanics in one manual.Shaw also has advocated for advancing the technology used in officiating.He has helped lead enhancements in the use of video to evaluate and develop officials and has pioneered a wireless crew communications system now used by most Football Bowl Subdivision conferences and the NFL. He currently is developing a centralized collaborative instant replay system for the SEC.Steve Shaw is an excellent choice, Redding said. He has demonstrated over the years a good knowledge of the rules and will be an effective addition to the rules-making process. Shaw has served on the NCAA Football Rules Editorial Subcommittee since 2013. He also has served four years on the board of directors for the National Association of Sports Officials, including a stint as chairman in 2011-12.Steve Shaw is a proven and respected leader in college football and has the skills and abilities to excel as secretary-rule editor, said Bob Nielson, chair of the NCAA Football Rules Committee and coach at the University of South Dakota. He has a tremendous understanding of the current issues and trends in our sport that will serve him well in this position. We are excited to have Steve in this role. ' ' '