BALTIMORE -- Wei-Yin Chen pitched better than he had all season, and Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer was never worse. The result was a lopsided 7-1 victory for the Baltimore Orioles, who got their offence back on track Monday night at Archers expense. Chen (2-1) retired his first 10 batters and didnt allow a hit until James Loney doubled with one out in the fifth. The left-hander gave up one run, five hits and two walks in 6 1-3 innings. In his previous two starts, Chen yielded eight runs and 21 hits in 10 2-3 innings. "I think the main difference tonight was the movement on my pitches was better and the hitters had more trouble with it," Chen said through a translator. Chen also got a big assist from his defence, beginning with the first play of the game when third baseman Ryan Flaherty snagged a sharp grounder and threw out Ben Zobrist. "I thought balls went right at some fielders," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "We were fortunate tonight. Real good defence. ... The baseball gods were kind to him tonight after not being kind to him early on." Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy each had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run for the Orioles, who were coming off a three-game series against Toronto in which they scored only five runs in 30 innings. In this one, Baltimore built a 6-0 lead over the first three innings and coasted to the finish. The Orioles had 13 hits, including five doubles. "A lot of big two-out hits, a lot of big RBIs with guys on second," Wieters said. "It wasnt really the long ball that did it tonight, but we found a way to win." It was by far the poorest of Archers 30 big league starts. The seven runs and 12 hits he allowed were both career highs, and his ERA jumped from 1.38 to 4.50. "I actually felt good about how my stuff was," Archer said. "I just made too many mistakes -- and thats a good lineup." The performance came less than two weeks after the Rays gave Archer a six-year contract that guarantees the right-hander $25.5 million. "If there is anything to take away from this game, I think its how positive and encouraging my teammates were," Archer said. "They fully believe in me, and when I came out they all said, In five days, youre going to make somebody pay." Chen was facing a Tampa Bay team that has been struggling at the plate. The Rays have scored only 14 runs in their last eight games and have tallied three runs or fewer in seven of the last eight. "We did hit some balls well. Our geometry is really bad right now. Were hitting balls at people," manager Joe Maddon said. "We just have to keep going up there and battling through it. Its just one of those bad periods." Tampa Bays only run came in the sixth inning when Zobrist walked and scored on a single by Evan Longoria. The outcome, however, was decided long before that. Wieters gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the first inning, and Baltimore added three runs in the second. Hardy doubled and Flaherty sliced an RBI single past the drawn-in infield before Nelson Cruz and Chris Davis delivered run-scoring doubles. Doubles by Wieters and Hardy, followed by Steve Lombardozzis RBI single, made it 6-0 in the third. Singles by Wieters, Hardy and Flaherty gave the Orioles a 7-0 cushion in the fifth. The seven runs were more than the Orioles scored in 11 of their previous 12 games. "Its nice to go out there and pitch like we did, hit like we did," Hardy said. "Its just good to play a good game." NOTES: RHP Jake Odorizzi, scheduled to start Tuesday night for Tampa Bay, experienced flu-like symptoms and was sent back to the team hotel as a precaution. It appeared to be the same virus that sidelined Rays reliever Joel Peralta last weekend. ... Miguel Gonzalez is slated to start for the Orioles on what is projected to be a cold, wet Tuesday evening. ... Orioles 3B Manny Machado (knee) ran six 90-foot sprints in Florida and is slated to run from home to second base Tuesday, Showalter said. ... Tampa Bay optioned LHP Jeff Beliveau to Triple-A Durham and recalled RHP Brad Boxberger from the same minor league club. ... Tampa Bay OF Brandon Guyer was interviewed before the game by D.C. sports anchor Lindsay Murphy, who is also his wife. ... Since the start of last season, the Rays are 14-1 when Archer goes at least six innings and 2-9 when he doesnt. Mets Jerseys 2020 .While Rosberg is coming off a strong victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton is dwelling on a mistake that ended his streak of five consecutive wins and kept him from increasing his advantage. Stitched Mets Jerseys . Gough finished in fourth, 0.433 seconds behind American Erin Hamlin, who took the bronze medal at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rzhanaya Polyana. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/.Y. -- As if the worst start in franchise history isnt bad enough, Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black braced his teams win-starved fans for potentially more tough times. Wholesale Mets Jerseys . The Bruins forward has been fined $5,000 by the National Hockey League for spearing Red Wings defenceman Danny DeKeyser in the groin. New York Mets Shirts . The Toronto Argonauts running back hurt his left ankle during the teams practice Friday afternoon at Rogers Centre.LONDON - Where to start? In a week in which all the headlines should have been all about the football, theyve been about anything but. As England close in on a World Cup-or-bust qualifying stretch the tabloids have dropped a lot of ink on off-field business. From Sundays terrace refrain: “Jack Wilshere smokes when he wants to,” to the Premier League on Wednesday rejecting the FAs plea to sit on a commission whose raison dêtre is purely to examine what can be done to mend the England national team the news was definitely hot for off-pitch storylines. Another such headline was Harry Redknapps claim yesterday that Steven Gerrard sent him a text congratulating him on his appointment as England manager. Good one ‘Arry. Great to see you havent lost that rogue sense of humour of yours since settling into life as a Championship manager. Again. For his part Gerrard was quick to deny today at Fridays pre-match presser that he did not send a text to Redknapps personal mobile phone regarding the England job. The England job, of course, is a position the media dearly wishes Redknapp had got when Fabio Capello took a walk last February. Their insatiable want, need and desire for Redknapp to take over was not correlated to the ex-Spurs manager being the most abled person to step into Fabios loafers. No one provides the media with softer sound bites than the man who can claim amongst his ex-team mates the greatest footballer ever to don an England shirt, Bobby Moore. Moore, best known as the only Englishman in World Cup history to hold aloft the Jules Rimet trophy was a team mate of Redknapp at West Ham in the late 1960s. Gerrard didnt, though, get into Redknapps baseless claim earlier in the week that ‘the FA are clueless. Sounds like the sourest of grapes. Its hard to imagine the reason Gerrard was speaking to the media in the first place was purely down to Friday evenings pivotal World Cup qualifier at Wembley against Montenegro. Who would have known? Which brings us back to that FA Commission, and one man who didnt turn down an approach to join was ex-England guvnor Glenn Hoddle. Hoddle guided England to the 1998 World Cup but his tenure came to an abrupt halt early the next year after he mocked the afflicted in a London Times newspaper article. Hoddle brazenly claiming disabled people were paying for their sins in previous lives. How unreservedly crude of him. This coming from a man who included a faith healer as part of his team to prepare England for France 1998 and for good measure followed that up with the 11th-hour removal of Paul Gascoigne as Hoddle completed his final culls to the original oversized squad. Yes Gascoigne was passed his prime, but is the most naturally gifted of footballers England has produced in generations. Dont believe me? Read Gazzas highly revealing autobiography where he bares his very troubled soul and freely admits to often drinking a bottle of vodka before going out on the pitch and dominate in his own inimitable style. Hoddle freshly minted to the FA commission wasted no time in laying into the current England squad when he told the BBC Thursday evening it was unrealistic to expect England to win the World Cup in Brazil next summer. You been reading them tea leaves again Glenn? How about qualifying first and foremeost? Not content with rubbishing the current team, Hoddle perfectly performed the 360 pirouette when he went on to claim England could well go on and claim the EEURO 2016 crown… rib-tickling stuff.dddddddddddd. Obviosuly Hoddle has a fixation with France. Or maybe an Achilles heel. Speaking of national fixations Jack Wilshire could not have chosen a more inappropriate time than 48 hours ago when he discussed in-depth an absolute need for the England team to ooze Englishness. By Wilshires argument, players like Manchester Uniteds latest teenage sensation - the Belgian born Adnan Januzaj - could not ever play for England. Even though in a very short few years Januzaj could be considered for England when he hits that lower hanging football fruit; the FIFA residency mark. Since Wilsheres ill-timed and inappropriate comments grabbed the headlines and still continue to do so a siege-like mentality has prevailed over Team England. A plethora of so-called England legends, whatever they are, plus the current England manager and captain have voiced their backing directly or indirectly for the man who only last week was spotted smoking [or was it holding?] a cigarette whilst out enjoying a very late night on the London tiles. Meanwhile in a another highly affluent area of London - whilst speaking earlier today at this weeks Leaders in Football Conference which has been staged at Stamford Bridge - Joseph Barton laid it all bare. Barton doing what he does best, barking at the FA and Sir Alex Ferguson in equal measure. No one in world football shoots first, and aims afterwards more often than Barton. Lost in all the accusations and inappropriate comments this week was a quite splendid event held at Buckingham Palace and hosted by the FA President, Prince William himself. The celebrations were part of the FAs 150th anniversary which will culminate in a Gala dinner in London on the FAs birthday, October 26th. The plush Buck House gardens were transformed into the venue for a re-enactment of a 19th century football match. Never lost for a quip, “Wills” opened the proceedings with an ominous warning for the players. “If anyone breaks a window they can answer to her,” he stated as he nodded in the direction of the Queens personal Buckingham Palace quarters. The oranges at halftime have not ever seen such finer silver platters. When England step out at Wembley tomorrow against Montenegro, who held the English might to a draw in the corresponding fixture earlier in the campaign, nothing more than victory is required. Thats if they are to stand chance of winning a group the London bookies were reluctant to take bets on when the draw was made. With the final qualifier set for next Tuesday, England require the maximum points from both Wembley dates to automatically ensure Brazil 2014 is not a made-for-TV event. Quite remarkably with eight out of their 10 matches played, England have only managed to beat the twin forces that are San Marino and Moldova. Not so much pedigreed football playing nations as they are greedy tax havens. When Steven Gerrard leads his charges out of that iconic Wembley tunnel Friday night a nation will hold its collective breath. Only releasing it as they make a dash for the kettle or bark orders at the bar keep. The tea leaves and barley oats will be in an even higher demand next Tuesday when Poland come a-knocking. If you spot an England shirt on your travels over the coming days you may want to whisper the words: “Jan Tomaszewski and 1973”. You can reach and follow Noel Butler at: Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel ' ' '