Drew Rasmussen takes perfect game into ninth inning in Tampa Bay Rays' victory over Baltimore Orioles

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Drew Rasmussen took a perfect game into the ninth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays expanded their lead over Baltimore for the final AL wild card to 1½ games with a 4-1 victory over the Orioles on Sunday.

Rasmussen allowed his first baserunner when Jorge Mateo doubled down the left-field line on the first pitch of the ninth. Mateo, who went 5 for 5 on Friday night, later scored on a Rasmussen wild pitch.

The right-hander struck out seven in the longest outing of his career. He threw 62 of 87 pitches for strikes.

Jason Adam got two outs for his sixth save, finishing a one-hitter.

Rasmussen (7-4) struck out Rougned Odor on a 2-2 pitch to end an eight-pitch at-bat for the second out in the eighth.

Baltimore's Adley Rutschman flew out to the warning track in center in the first. Former Ray Brett Phillips had a hard drive buzz Rasmussen with two outs in the sixth, but shortstop Taylor Walls fielded the ball and threw to first for the out.

Rasmussen was coming off three no-hit innings in his previous start Aug, 7 at Detroit, an abbreviated outing to manage his workload for the season. His longest career start had been seven innings, coming June 4 against the Chicago White Sox.

There hasn't been a perfect game in the majors since Seattle's Felix Hernandez accomplished the feat at home against the Rays on Aug. 15, 2012.

Tampa Bay has never thrown a perfect game. Matt Garza has only Rays no-hitter, coming on July 26, 2010, at Tropicana Field against Detroit.