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TB@LAA: Hellickson hurls six scoreless for sixth win

Fighting nausea throughout his last start, nothing came easy for Rays right-hander Jeremy Hellickson.

While he was badly dehydrated and even threw up in the dugout during the game, it didn't show in his performance on the mound. Hellickson tossed six scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits and striking out five for the win.

"I got an IV pretty much right when I got out of the game. Started feeling a little better when that got done," Hellickson said. "It's been hot a few places, but I've never been sick when I've been out there."

Now, happy to no longer be fighting any sickness, he'll try and duplicate that performance on Saturday against the Orioles at Tropicana Field.

Hellickson could have a tough time doing that against Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, who struck out a career-high 12 in his last outing.

The mark set a new record for Taiwanese-born pitchers, surpassing Chen-Ming Wang's record of 10 on June 17, 2007, with the Yankees.

Chen allowed just one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings against the A's in the game, picking up his ninth win of the season and dropping his ERA to 3.65.

"Not only can he command it, but he knows where in the zone he needs to go to be able to get strikeouts and be able to get ground balls," Orioles catcher Matt Wieters said after the outing. "He can move in and out and up and down. It's not just command on either side of the plate, but height-wise, too."

Orioles: Andino and Betemit might platoon at third
• With Wilson Betemit struggling against left-handed pitching this season and Robert Andino recently returning for the disabled list, O's manager Buck Showalter said on Friday that he could see Betemit and Andino as a platoon at third base.

"What's happened is, because of some of the injuries we've had with other players, we've had to [use Betemit every day]. I'd like to give Robert some time [at third] here or there," Showalter said. "[It] keeps everybody involved in playing. I'd like Robert to play today, and he will probably play Sunday [against lefty David Price]."

• Brian Roberts underwent hip surgery to repair a labral tear on Friday, and Showalter said the team's training staff is waiting to hear how the procedure went.

Rays: Niemann, Longoria making progress
• Out since May 14 with a fractured right leg, right-hander Jeff Neimann threw a three-inning simulated game prior to Tampa Bay's game against the Orioles on Friday.

"Even after the off-day and the long day of travel the day before, I still felt good," Niemann said. "It's really less and less in my mind each day. We're starting to think more [about] what we're doing on the mound. It's a great transition to not worry about how you feel."

With Neimann scheduled to throw every five days, manager Joe Maddon hinted at him making a rehab start in the near future.

Meanwhile, Evan Longoria, who is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham, could return to the Rays during the team's upcoming series against the Blue Jays, which begins on Tuesday. Longoria has been sidelined since April 30 with a partially torn left hamstring,

"He's basically gonna be coming out of Spring Training with 1 1/2 legs," Maddon said. "You gotta be patient with all that and understand there might be a little bit of a curve to be worked with. I'm prepared for that mentally, but of course we want him back."

Worth noting
• Orioles designated hitter Jim Thome (herniated disk) received an epidural in California on Friday.

• Rays pitchers have struck out 10 or more batters in 10 of the last 14 games and 13 of the last 19. Chen aims to keep piling up the strikeouts

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