St. Petersburg, FL -- (Sports Network) - James Shields pitched seven innings for the first time in his young career as Tampa Bay edged Arizona, 3-2, in the middle contest of a three-game interleague set.

Shields (4-0) gave up just two runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts to become the first Devil Ray pitcher ever to begin his career 4-0.

"Tidy little game," said Tampa manager Joe Maddon. "He did not break (after the two runs). He kept the ball down really well...He's a grinder. He's got a great presence. You've got to beat him, he's not going to cave in."

Rocco Baldelli and Carl Crawford each went 2-for-3, with Baldelli driving in a run and Crawford scoring one for Tampa Bay, which won for the fifth time in its last seven games. Brian Meadows pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season.

Orlando Hudson and Eric Byrnes each knocked in a run for the Diamondbacks, who lost for the 14th time in their last 16 games. Brandon Webb (8-3) pitched well for Arizona but was hit with the loss, giving up all three Tampa Bay runs on eight hits through six innings, with five strikeouts and four walks.

Tampa Bay got things going in the second in unconventional fashion. With one out, Russell Branyan hit a seemingly routine fly ball to left field. Arizona outfielder Luis Gonzalez, however, badly misjudged it and the ball landed over his head, giving Branyan a double. Jonny Gomes then hit a ground ball to the left of the infield that hit third base and bounced straight up into the air, putting runners on the corners. Webb was then called for a balk, which scored Branyan and moved Gomes to second.

Toby Hall's subsequent double sent Gomes home to give the Devil Rays a 2-0 advantage.

Then, in the third, Crawford and Baldelli hit back-to-back doubles to give Tampa a three-run cushion.

The Diamondbacks finally cracked the scoreboard in the fifth, hitting three doubles to bring them within a run. With one out, Jeff DaVanon doubled to left and scored on Hudson's double to right. One out later, Byrnes' double to center chased Hudson home.

DaVanon singled with two outs in the ninth to put the tying run on base, but Meadows got Hudson to fly out to end the game.

"We played hard...got behind again," said Arizona manager Bob Melvin. "But you've got to find a way to battle back and get threw these things."

Game Notes

Before the game, Arizona placed pitchers Russ Ortiz and Terry Mulholland on unconditional waivers. The Diamondbacks also placed outfielder Scott Hairston on the 15-day disabled list and recalled pitcher Casey Daigle from Triple-A Tucson...Arizona manager Bob Melvin was ejected in the fifth inning...In the eighth, Gomes crushed a pitch off the cat walk in left field that hangs from the ceiling of Tropicana Field. The ball fell all the way into center field and Gomes reaches second for a double.