Local Sports Journal

Whitehall native Nate McLouth delivered a key hit on Wednesday night in the Baltimore Orioles’ 8-7 loss to Tampa Bay.

McLouth came to the plate in the top of the seventh inning with the game tied at 4-all. With runners on first and second with one out, McLouth singled to right to score Nolan Reimold from second base. That gave the Orioles a 5-4 lead.

However, in the bottom of the seventh, the Rays plated three runs to take a 7-4 lead.

The Orioles scored single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth to tie the game.

In the top of the ninth, Reimold walked and Brian Roberts doubled him home. McLouth pushed a sacrifice bunt to first base to move Roberts to third, but the Orioles could not get him home.

In the bottom of the ninth, former Detroit Tiger Matt Joyce led off with a walk-off home run to right to give the Rays the victory.

McLouth batted in the leadoff spot and played left field in his first appearance of the season with the Orioles (1-1).