MLB: Baltimore 3, Tampa Bay 2

Jim Johnson retired Akinori Iwamura in the ninth inning with the tying run on third base Thursday, preserving the Baltimore Orioles’ 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay.

The Orioles ended the third-longest losing streak in franchise history at 13 games. If Baltimore can win two of its three scheduled games against Toronto this weekend, the Orioles will avoid their first 100-loss season in 22 years.

Baltimore took a 3-1 lead into the ninth but Johnson gave up a run and had runners on first and third with two away. He then got Iwamura on a grounder back to the mound to pick up his ninth save.

Chris Waters (1-0), making his first start of the year, got the win by allowing a run on two hits over five innings. Waters had a 3-5 record last year in limited major-league action.

Jeff Fiorentino singled in what turned out to be the winning run in the fourth to make it 3-0.

Matt Garza (8-12) surrendered three runs on six hits in six innings to take the loss. Tampa Bay had won four in a row.

Baltimore’s losing streak had been the longest in the majors since Arizona suffered 14 straight setbacks in 2004.