Palacios HR, strong start by Rom helps Cardinals trip first-place Orioles 1-0

By DAVID GINSBURG
Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — Richie Palacios homered, rookie Drew Rom and four relievers combined on a three-hitter and the St. Louis Cardinals beat Baltimore 1-0 to trim the Orioles’ lead in the AL East to two games. Baltimore has lost two straight and three of four heading into a four-game series against second-place Tampa Bay beginning Thursday night. The Orioles have been in first place since July 19, in part because their longest losing streak since that time has been two. But Baltimore has scored only two runs in its last two games, not the kind of momentum it was looking for heading into its most pivotal series of the year. Palacios provided the lone run with a solo shot over the right-field scoreboard in the fourth inning.