ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Steve Pearce is eager to take advantage of every opportunity hes given to help the Baltimore Orioles. The 31-year-old journeyman outfielders opposite-field double snapped a scoreless tie and Nelson Cruz added his major league-leading 22nd homer, providing all the run support rookie Kevin Gausman and two relievers needed to shut down the struggling Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 for manager Buck Showalters 1,200th career win on Wednesday. Gausman pitched six innings and Pearce, who homered during a 7-5 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday, went 2 for 4 to boost his batting average to .324 with six homers and 15 RBIs. Not bad for a guy who was out of baseball for two days after the Orioles designated him for assignment and eventually released him in the opening month of the season. Since re-signing with the team on April 29, hes gradually built confidence while making the most of limited chances hes had to contribute. "And I want to keep continuing it and doing what I can do to help the team win," Pearce said. "Thats 10 at-bats in two days, I dont know if Ive ever had that in my career." The first of Pearces two doubles, a line drive down the right-field line, drove in Nick Markakis from first base in the fifth inning. Alex Cobb (2-5) would have gotten through the fifth unscathed if second baseman Ben Zobrist hadnt mishandled Markakis two-out grounder for an error. Cobb yielded four hits and four walks in seven innings. The right-hander fanned six in his sixth start since returning from a five-week stay on the disabled list with a left oblique strain. "Its kind of been the story of the year so far for us in the fact that on those days we pitch good, its been tough to come across some runs," Cobb said. "On the other hand of that is were pitching poorly and the offence is putting up a lot of runs," the right-hander added. "Weve just got to get on the same page and ... and play the type of baseball we should be." Gausman (3-1) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out five, including Zobrist and James Loney after the Rays loaded the bases with no outs in the first. The Rays were blanked for an AL-leading 11th time, finishing with five hits and going 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. "We just didnt hit," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "How many times have I had to say that this year?" Pearce is hitting .444 with three homers, three doubles, five walks, five runs scored and six RBIs against Tampa Bay this year. Most of the damage has come at Tropicana Field, where the Orioles have won five of six meetings between the AL East rivals to build a 7-1 lead in the season series. Cruz, who also leads the majors with 58 RBIs, homered for the first time since June 3. The solo shot off Kirby Yates made it 2-0 in the eighth. Tommy Hunter pitched two perfect innings and Zach Britton worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his ninth save in 10 opportunities. The Rays loaded the bases in the first on a leadoff walk, Kevin Kiermaiers single and shortstop J.J. Hardys fielding error. Gausman worked out of the jam, striking out Loney and Zobrist before getting David DeJesus to foul out along the left field line to end the threat. The Rays wasted another opportunity in the sixth when Evan Longoria had a leadoff double, Loney struck out and Zobrist hit a soft liner to left field that Pearce caught on the run before tossing the ball to second for an easy double play, when Longoria continued to run, mistakenly thinking there were two outs. "Stevie just seems to be dialing up what we need," Showalter said. "Its probably no coincidence that he was involved in the double play, too. That was pretty good positioning." NOTES: Pearce, who grew up in nearby Lakeland, has three homers in 18 at-bats against the Rays this season. All of the homers have come at Tropicana Field. ... After striking out with the bases loaded in the first and hitting into a double play in the sixth, Zobrist has one hit in his last 36 at-bats with runners in scoring position. ... The Orioles have Thursday off before beginning a weekend series at Yankee Stadium, with RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (2-8) facing RHP Hiroki Kuroda (4-5) on Friday. The Rays continue a 10-day homestand, opening a four-game set against Houston, with RHP Chris Archer going against RHP Collin McHugh (4-4) on Thursday. Marcus Davenport Jersey . -- Jerel Worthy and his Michigan State teammates charged across the field, holding four fingers in the air while celebrating another sweet victory over their biggest rival. TreQuan Smith Saints Jersey .J. - Several people have collapsed in an overcrowded New Jersey train station while waiting in long lines to get to the Super Bowl. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Jermon-Bushrod-Jersey/ . On Friday night, after a long rain delay, he was scratched from his scheduled start. TreQuan Smith Jersey .com) - A pair of programs shooting for their 10th win of the season get together at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, as the NC State Wolfpack tangle with 22nd-ranked West Virginia during the challenge round of the Gotham Classic. Jermon Bushrod Jersey . Best has been bothered by concussion problems and hasnt played since Oct. 16, when the Lions lost to San Francisco. After starting 5-0, Detroit has lost four of six, beginning with that game against the 49ers.Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of middle-of-the-pack power five conference teams meet up at Ford Field for the inaugural Quick Lane Bowl when the Big Tens Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the ACCs North Carolina Tar Heels. Rutgers, in its first season in the Big Ten, went 7-5 overall and 3-5 in conference play. While the transition from the American Athletic Conference was a little rough for the Scarlet Knights, it didnt stop them from earning their ninth bowl appearance in 10 years, thanks in part to four non-conference wins. I like the idea of playing another power five opponent, said Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood. I like the idea of playing another power five school. I love the opportunity to play at a great stadium; and to play at Ford Field in a controlled environment, its a great stadium. I think all those things enhance the Bowl experience. Flood is the first coach in school history to lead Rutgers to a bowl game in each of his first three seasons, while the 2014 senior class is appearing in a bowl for the fourth consecutive season. The only other senior classes in school history to play in four straight bowls were members of the 2008 and 2009 senior classes. The Scarlet Knight won two of their last three games to end a three-game losing streak and earn a spot in a bowl. In their season finale, Gary Nova completed 28-of-42 passes for 347 yards and four touchdowns, as Rutgers came from behind to defeat Maryland, 41-38. Nova, Rutgers team MVP, completed 58 percent of his passes for 2,667 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this season. He leads an offense that averages 25.6 points per game. Novas favorite target is Leonte Carroo, who has a team-best 53 catches for 1,043 yards with 10 touchdowns. Caroo, a First Team selection, led a group of four Rutgers players to earn all-conference honors. Defensive linemen Darius Hamilton and Kemoko Turay, and offensive lineman Kaleb Johnson were also named all-conference. Hamilton and Turay combined to have 12.5 sacks for a Rutgers defense that yielded 30.9 points per game this season and allowed 439.5 yards of offense. North Carolina, the third place finisheer in the ACCs Coastal Division, went 6-6 overall this season and 4-4 in conference play.dddddddddddd The offensive output of the Tar Heels should be tough for the Scarlet Knights to contain. North Carolina finished third in the ACC, averaging 34.3 point per game, and are led by second-team All-ACC quarterback Marquise Williams. The Charlotte, N.C., native leads the team in both passing (2,870) and rushing yards (737). This year, he set UNC single-season record for total offense (3,607), most touchdowns responsible for (32) and most touchdowns rushing by a quarterback (12). Williams, however, is coming off a sub-par performance in the Tar Heels regular-season finale against NC State. Williams and fellow QB Mitch Trubisky combined to hit on 17-of-35 passes for 177 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and four sacks in a 35-7 setback. On the defensive side, the Tar Heels fired defensive coordinator Vic Koenning after the regular season and Dan Disch will now get a shot to lead a unit that allowed 38.9 points per game and yielded 495.7 yards per game. Hes very energetic. Hes a little out there, but its something we need, linebacker Jeff Schoettmer said of Disch. Hes more aggressive. Aggressiveness might play into Carolinas favor against the pro-style offense that Rutgers runs with Nova, a prototypical pocket-passer who doesnt have much mobility. The Scarlet Knights are 5-4 all-time in bowl games after last seasons 29-16 loss in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. For Carolina, this will be Fedoras sixth bowl appearance as a head coach. Last year, he guided the Tar Heels to a 39-17 victory over Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl. The Quick Lane Bowl is Carolinas 31st all-time bowl game, but first in the state of Michigan. Carolina has won two of its last three bowl games. Rutgers and North Carolina have met six times in series history - the last time at North Carolina in 2011 (24-22 UNC victory). It marks the first time the two schools have met in a bowl and it will be Rutgers third bowl versus an ACC opponent (2012 Russell Athletic Bowl vs. Virginia Tech; 2008 PapaJohns.com Bowl vs. NC State). 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