masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – For Chris Davis, his third career grand slam was worth the wait.
Davis sent a fly ball down the left field line tonight with the bases loaded and one out in the third inning. Tampa Bay’s David DeJesus crashed into the wall at full speed, appearing to knock himself out as two runs scored and Davis stopped at second base.
DeJesus stayed in the game. The ball stayed in play only because it hit the foul pole, which replays confirmed after manager Buck Showalter came out of…

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – For Chris Davis, his third career grand slam was worth the wait.

Davis sent a fly ball down the left field line tonight with the bases loaded and one out in the third inning. Tampa Bay’s David DeJesus crashed into the wall at full speed, appearing to knock himself out as two runs scored and Davis stopped at second base.

DeJesus stayed in the game. The ball stayed in play only because it hit the foul pole, which replays confirmed after manager Buck Showalter came out of the dugout.

The umpire review lasted 1 minute, 18 seconds, equaling the amount of time between Erik Bedard pitches.

The only way he could work slower is if catcher Jose Molina walked the ball back to him after every pitch.

Speaking of which, Bedard has thrown 74 of them in three innings. Instant analysis: That’s a lot.

Davis is now 3-for-4 with nine RBIs with bases loaded this year. His opposite-field blast tonight gave the Orioles a 5-0 lead.

Sean Rodriguez and Desmond Jennings hit back-to-back homers off Miguel Gonzalez in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 5-2. Rodriguez’s ball hit the C ring catwalk in left field.

Only at The Trop.

The Orioles have served up back-to-back home runs for the second time this season. The Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez took Tommy Hunter deep on May 13.

Going back to Davis, he recorded the Orioles’ third grand slam this season, joining Nelson Cruz on April 23 and Manny Machado on June 1.

Davis’ most recent slam came on April 5, 2013 against Minnesota.

Bedard allowed singles to Jonathan Schoop and Nick Markakis, and he walked Steve Pearce for the second time to load the bases. Schoop scored on a wild pitch, Bedard hit Adam Jones on the ankle to load the bases again and Davis unloaded.

Gonzalez has thrown 50 pitches in three innings. Bedard is back out for the fourth.

Update: The Rays scored twice in the fifth on James Loney’s two-run double, and the Orioles are clinging to a 5-4 lead.

Ryan Webb is warming with Gonzalez at 95 pitches, including 62 for strikes. I doubt that Gonzalez returns for the sixth.

He’s allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings, with two walks, five strikeouts and two home runs. He also ended the Orioles’ streak of consecutive quality starts at eight.