BALTIMORE -- The Tampa Bay Rays took a break from their miserable season to put on a dazzling hitting performance against the Baltimore Orioles. David Luiz Brazil Jersey . Now if they can find a way to sustain the momentum for a bit, the Rays just might make some real noise over the next three months. Matt Joyce homered twice, had a career-high five hits and drove in four runs to power the Rays to a 12-7 victory Sunday. Tampa Bay totalled 11 extra base hits -- five homers and six doubles. The Rays trailed 4-3 before Kevin Kiermaier and Logan Forsythe went deep during a seven-run sixth inning that sent many in the crowd of 32,665 scattering toward the exits. "We havent had anything like that all year," Joyce said. "It was nice to come out here and win a big series and swing the bats like we did." Ben Zobrist also homered for the Rays, who took three of four from Baltimore after starting the series with a 1-7 record against their AL East rivals. The 12 runs were Tampa Bays second-most this season behind a 16-run outburst on April 19 against the Yankees. The Rays still own the worst record in the majors, but now theres hope as Tampa Bay prepares for a three-game series at Yankee Stadium beginning Monday night. "The season weve had, were playing better baseball," Joyce said. "This was a big series for us going into New York. It was nice to come in here and swing the bats well." Joyce doubled in the first inning, hit a solo shot in the third, singled in both the fifth and sixth innings and added a two-run drive in the seventh. His five hits and 12 total bases tied club records. Although the Orioles finally got Joyce out in the ninth with the outcome already decided, his 5-for-6 performance upped his batting average 15 points to .274. "You really dont have very many days like that," Joyce said. "Its nice to have one of those days and enjoy it." Alex Cobb (3-6) got the win despite giving up four runs and eight hits in five innings. "Its really important to keep it going," manager Joe Maddon said. "The focus has to be on winning series. We did this one." Manny Machado and Ryan Flaherty homered for the Orioles. Flaherty hit a three-run drive in the ninth to snap an 0-for-16 skid. But the 12 runs and 18 hits were the most allowed by Baltimore this season. "Times like this, youd like to come out with a W when you score seven runs," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. The game turned in the seventh, when the Rays set season highs with seven runs and seven hits. After Kiermaier homered off Evan Meek (0-3), Joyce singled in a run and James Loney delivered a two-run double. Brandon Guyer followed with an RBI double and Forsythe capped the barrage with a two-run homer off Brian Matusz. "Its wonderful. We havent really done that," Maddon said. "Balls are falling in, missing defenders, balls going over the wall. Good at-bats." In the eighth, Joyce hit a shot to right to make it 12-4 and complete his third career two-homer game. Coming in, he had three home runs this season -- none since May 11. Tampa Bay went up 1-0 in the first inning when Desmond Jennings walked and scored on a double by Zobrist, who was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. After Joyce homered in the third, Nick Markakis doubled in the bottom half and came home on a two-out single by Steve Pearce. Machado put Baltimore up 3-2 with a two-run drive in the fourth. After Zobrist connected in the fifth to tie it, Tampa Bay loaded the bases before Meek replaced starter Miguel Gonzalez and struck out Forsythe. Gonzalez gave up three runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings, his shortest outing in seven starts since May 5. "Command," he said. "Ive got to keep working on that. I think that has been my biggest issue this year. Other than that, I felt good." Baltimore took the lead for the last time when Markakis scored on a passed ball to make it 4-3 in the sixth. NOTES: Rays RH Chris Archer on Monday will attempt to become the first pitcher to win his first five games against the Yankees since Walter Johnson in 1907-08. ... Baltimore sends Ubaldo Jimenez to the mound in the opener of a four-game series against visiting Texas. ... The Rays played a fifth straight game without shortstop Yunel Escobar, who has a sore right shoulder. ... Markakis became the eighth player in Orioles history to have at least nine seasons with 100 hits. 19:00ET 29-06-14 Ramires Jersey . When he missed badly, putting his shot wide, he was so exasperated that he slumped his shoulders and looked to the rafters as play continued. Willian Jersey . -- For nearly two months, the Philadelphia 76ers couldnt win a road game.(SportsNetwork.com) - Just over three weeks after trading Trent Richardson and "giving up" on their season, the Cleveland Browns find themselves tied for first place in the AFC North as they get ready to host the Detroit Lions. Watch the game live on TSN, today at 1pm et/10am pt. But the guy who helped the Browns get there, suburban Cleveland native Brian Hoyer, is gone for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL early in the Browns Week 5 win over the Buffalo Bills. That means previously deposed QB Brandon Weeden, who initially entered to a chorus of boos after replacing Hoyer before finishing 13-of-24 for 197 yards and a touchdown against the Bills, will return as the teams starter as the Browns search for a fourth consecutive win for the first time since 2009. Helping Weeden against Buffalo was Travis Benjamin, the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, who returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown among his team record 179 punt-return yards, and WR Josh Gordon, who hauled in four receptions for 86 yards and a score. Willis McGahee added 72 yards on the ground and a touchdown on 26 rushes for Cleveland, which last began 3-2 in 2001 when the Browns fizzled out and finished 7-9. The Lions, meanwhile, lost their 23rd straight game in Wisconsin last week, a 22-9 setback to the Green Bay Packers. The Detroit offense sputtered much of the day thanks in large part to wide receiver Calvin Johnsons absence due to a knee injury. The All-Pro had been listed as questionable on the teams injury report after sitting out practice both Wednesday and Thursday of last week before participating in Fridays session on a limited basis. The Lions announced Sunday that Calvin Johnson is active against the Browns QB Matthew Stafford was 25-for-40 for 262 yards and a touchdown for the Lions, who were coming off wins against Washington and Chicago. "Its a long season and you have to be able to persevere through a lot of ups and downs," said Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz. "We had a down today, and well bounce back from it just like we did after losing to Arizona." The Lions defense was a bright spot, holding the Packers to five field goals and allowing only one offensive touchdown. Detroit and Cleveland will be facing off for the 19th time with the Lions holding the all-time edge, 14-4, and a 5-3 record in Cleveland. Back in 2010, Stafford led the Lions to a come-from-behind 38-37 win over the Browns with one of the most remarkable performances by a rookie QB in NFL history. Stafford brought the Lions back from deficits three different times (21, 3 and 6 points) to either tie or take the lead. WHAT TO WATCH FOR This is the danger of giving up on a young quarterback, one injury and you may need him again. We now know Browns CEO Joe Banner and GM Mike Lombardi had already moved past Weeden in their own minds at least and a second-year QB who is struggling with confidence issues in general isnt about to dismiss that kind of disrespect easily. Chudzinski needs to spin this like he was always behind Weeden or this could spiral out of control quickly and Clevelands stay at the top of the AFC North will likely to be measured in days, not weeks. Weeden, on the other hand, needs to start trusting his reads, stop hesitating and throw the ball on time, which will in turn help with his shoddy accuracy. "We have to approach it with its next man up," Chud said. "Thats the way we have handled the other situations that have come up, whether its quarterback or other positions. I think Brandon did a heck of a job for us coming in the situation as a backup, mentally being ready and making some big plays that helped us win that game last week." Having a pair of big-play options like emerging tight end Jordan Cameron and the speedy Gordon at his disposal will only help Weeden. "TThat guy is playing a key role in their offense. Marcelo Brazil Jersey. Not just short passes, but also long passes," Schwartz said when discussing Cameron. "Five touchdowns already this year. Hes made a lot of plays for them. Our linebackers and safeties ability to keep him from affecting the game and making big chunks of yards is definitely a key this week." Gordon, meanwhile, has really helped open up the offense during Clevelands current run by hauling in 18 receptions for 303 yards (16.8 avg.) and two TDs over that span. The Lions defense will give up some yardage in between the 20s but they have become very stingy in the red zone, allowing a touchdown percentage of 33.3 percent, third-best in the NFL. A much-improved pass rush, led by rookie DE Ezekiel Ansah, who leads the team and all NFL rookies with 3 1/2 sacks, along with stud DTs Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley have helped spearhead the units resurgence. "Those guys are dominant players at their position," Chudzinski said when talking about Suh and Fairley. "They are two of the best and it is very difficult to get anything going against them. They are a factor in the run game, they are a factor in the pass game." Anyone who thinks Johnson isnt the fulcrum of the Lions offense should watch last weeks game in Green Bay, the first contest in 2013 where Detroit failed to score at least 21 points. "Hes a big part of their offense and its something that I look forward to playing against him, but if hes missing, were still going to go about it." Browns star CB Joe Haden said. "We want to get a "W." Its more about the team than me and Calvin in a one-on-one matchup." Without the All-Pro drawing defenders outside the box, Reggie Bush was pedestrian against the Packers, rushing for just 44 yards one week after piling up a season-high 139 in the previous game against Chicago. Stafford, meanwhile, was sacked a career high-tying five times. "We have to have guys step up," Stafford said when talking about Johnsons absence. "I have to play better. As an offense, we know we have to play better." Problem is, Johnsons running mate outside the numbers, veteran WR Nate Burleson, is also sidelined with a broken left arm suffered in a car accident. "Both of those, Calvin and Nate, are great players and Calvin might be one of the greatest, if not the greatest of all-time," said backup receiver Kris Durham. "We just have to figure out how to make some plays for Matt because hes standing back there with a lot of pressure in his face." That pressure figures to continue against an imposing Cleveland front seven, which has helped the Browns amass 18 sacks on the season -- third-best in the NFL -- and allow just 301.8 yards a game, fourth-best. "They have been doing that without (Jabaal) Sheard the last couple of games, who is one of their better pass rushers," Schwartz said. "They have a lot of guys in there that can rush, (Barkevious) Mingo and (Paul) Kruger, and some big guys inside, (Phil) Taylor. We have to be up to that challenge. Not just in pass protection, but also running." Mingo, like Ansah, is a rookie who has hit the ground running as a pass- rushing specialist. "Hes playing with high effort. Hes a good chase player." Schwartz said when asked about Mingo. "Hes active. Hes around the ball. He has great length. Hes long. He affects the passer in a lot of different ways." OVERALL ANALYSIS The key here is whether or not Johnson suits up and opens up the Detroit offense. His presence means you have to roll a safety over the top and that can create space for Bush. C.J. was back at practice on a limited basis by Thursday so the guess here is that he plays and the Lions get it done. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Lions 28, Browns 17 NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Authentic Wholesale NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Deals Wholesale Stitched Jerseys ' ' '
