| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Manager Larry Rothschild had no
doubt Fred McGriff would come through.
McGriff knocked in the game-winning run with a bases-loaded
pinch-hit groundout in the 10th inning as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 Sunday.
After helping the Devil Rays record their 11th walkoff win of
the season, Rothschild had a simple message for McGriff.
"I knew you were going to win it because the Bucs are on,"
said a smiling Rothschild of McGriff, a Tampa native and big fan of
the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ozzie Timmons opened the 10th with a single off Rick Croushore
(0-1). Pinch-runner Jason Tyner stole second on a pitch out and
went to third on Russ Johnson's sacrifice bunt. Tampa Bay loaded
the bases with one out after Bobby Smith walked and John Flaherty
was intentionally walked.
McGriff then hit a high chopper to second that the Red Sox could
only get a force out at second.
"We went out on a good note, but we lost 90 games," McGriff
said. "That can't be to good."
The Devil Rays (69-92) did become the fifth expansion team _ out
of 14 -- to improve their winning percentage thru their first three
years of play.
Steve Cox homered for the Devil Rays, who have won eight of 10.
Dan Wheeler (1-1) got the final two outs in the top of the 10th.
Tampa Bay could take part in a makeup game left Monday against
Oakland.
Trot Nixon and Morgan Burkhart hit solo homers for Boston.
Albie Lopez, who did not factor in the decision, was stymied in
his bid to become the winningest pitcher in Tampa Bay's brief
history. Lopez, who allowed two runs and eight hits in eight
innings, is tied with current Red Sox pitcher Rolando Arrojo with
21 wins in a Devil Rays uniform.
The Red Sox used six pitchers. The bullpen committee filled the
void after Boston opted not to start Pedro Martinez after being
eliminated from postseason play.
Boston's Hector Carrasco allowed four hits over two scoreless
innings in his first major league start after 401 relief
appearances.
The Red Sox also gave many of their regulars the day off,
including AL batting champion Nomar Garciaparra. He finished the
season hitting .372.
"If we don't win the World Series, I'm disappointed,"
Garciaparra said. "So, I'm disappointed in this season. But our
team never gave up."
The Red Sox wound up 85-77, 2 1/2 games behind the New York
Yankees in the AL East.
"One game either way could have dictated something different,"
Boston closer Derek Lowe said. "We were right in there. Your goal
every year isn't trying to beat the Yankees. You're trying to beat
29 other teams. We just fell a little short."
Boston took a 1-0 lead when Nixon hit his 12th homer in the
third inning. Sixteen batters -- eight for each team -- reached base
through three innings, however, Nixon's homer accounted for the
only run.
After Cox tied it with his 11th homer in the fifth inning,
Burkhart put Boston ahead 2-1 with his fourth homer in the sixth.
Burkhart hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning of
Boston's 4-2 win Saturday.
"You play to win, that's it," Boston manager Jimy Williams
said. "You never know when it might be the last game that you'll
have an opportunity to wear a major-league uniform. That's how you
play the game, with respect."
Tampa Bay drew even again when Greg Vaughn's sacrifice fly made
it 2-2 in the seventh.
The announced crowd was 28,043. Through Sunday's game the Devil
Rays have drawn 1,549,052 at home. The total is slightly below last
season's total of 1,562,967.
Game
notes
Garciaparra, who has won back-to-back batting titles, has
hit .365 over the past two seasons. ... Lopez has four losses and
two no decisions in his past six starts. ... The Tampa Bay BBWAA
chapter selected CF Gerald Williams as the Devil Rays MVP. ...
Williams hit a foul ball in the fifth inning that stuck on an
overhanging catwalk. After heading back toward his position, Red
Sox 3B Lou Merloni jokingly turned around and ran back toward the
spot where the ball landed. ... The victory was Wheeler's first in
the majors. ... The Devil Rays, whose preseason advertising slogan
was the Hit Show, were outhomered 109-76 at home.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Boston Clubhouse
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 11
Toronto 4
Detroit 12
Minnesota 11
Tampa Bay 3
Boston 2
Baltimore 7
NY Yankees 3
Kansas City 6
Chi. White Sox 2
Seattle 5
Anaheim 2
Oakland 3
Texas 0
Colorado 10
Atlanta 5
NY Mets 3
Montreal 2
St. Louis 6
Cincinnati 2
Florida 7
Philadelphia 5
Chicago Cubs 10
Pittsburgh 9
San Diego 4
Los Angeles 0
San Francisco 11
Arizona 4
Houston 6
Milwaukee 1
|