Conti trying to win battle with nerves

ST. PETERSBURG -- Before stepping into the batter's box in the fourth inning Friday, Jason Conti forced himself to relax and take a couple of deep breaths.

The Rays outfielder had batted against Mike Mussina, Roger Clemens and Orlando Hernandez the previous three nights.

"After facing those guys," he said, "maybe I'm more relaxed."

Acquired in a July trade with the Diamondbacks, Conti turned a two-run deficit into a 3-2 lead with his first homer of the season and second of his career. It was the second three-run homer the Rays have hit this season.

"I've felt like I've had a couple of good swings the last few days," the 27-year-old said. "I finally got a pitch that I could do something with. That's what happens, I guess, when you hit it on the barrel."

Conti is batting .231 with one homer, three RBIs and a walk in the past four games, all starts.

"I'm not at the point yet where I'm not nervous when I get up there," he said. "I think as the days go on the (nervousness) gets a little better. I'm starting to try to fit in and be a contributing part of the team."

Conti could start the next two games if Greg Vaughn remains in leftfield and Ben Grieve at designated hitter.

"He's played a good outfield and has shown some promise with the bat," manager Hal McRae said.

TIME TO REST: Persistent knee pain is expected to keep leftfielder Jason Tyner, who is batting .140 in his past 10 games, out of the starting lineup for the final two games of the series.

He did not start Friday but came in as a defensive replacement in center in the ninth. "It would help if he got some days," McRae said. "He's not running as well as he did last year."

Tyner, who stole a team-record 31 bases last season, said he was bothered by sore left knee almost all of 2001. An MRI revealed he has an extra bone in his knee that rubs against the ligaments.

"Last year it hurt every time I hit the base or every time I ran," Tyner said. "It was pretty good pain. This year it's not as bad. It only hurts when I slow down."

Tyner felt pain again in spring training, but it really started bothering him after a collision with 6-2, 235-pound Tigers first baseman Dmitri Young last month in Detroit.

"The next day," Tyner said, "I woke up and it was real sore."

NOT FEELING DOWN: Despite allowing six runs on six hits in seven innings, starting pitcher Ryan Rupe was pleased with his performance overall.

"I threw the ball pretty good tonight," said Rupe, who has lost his past three decisions. "They just capitalized on everything they had. Things went their way."

McRae stopped by Rupe's locker after the game and expressed his gratitude for a gutsy effort in the seventh.

"Way to step it up in that last inning," McRae said. "You showed me something. I could see it with the first batter."

Nearing his pitch limit entering the seventh, Rupe struck out the first two before allowing a walk and a run-scoring single by Melvin Mora. He tied his career high with nine strikeouts for the second straight outing and walked one.

MINOR MATTERS: The Rays released veteran outfielder Brian R. Hunter. Hunter has a .234 average in 699 career major-league games with the Braves, Pirates, Reds, Mariners and Cardinals but was batting .198 in 28 games for Triple-A Durham. ... Right-hander Seth McClung was promoted from Class A Bakersfield to Double-A Orlando.

ODDS AND ENDS: Vaughn and catcher Toby Hall were on base at the same time in the fourth. It marked the first time that has happened since April 24. ... Relievers Steve Kent and Esteban Yan haven't appeared in a game since Sunday. ... The Rays' 9-25 record is the worst start by an AL team since the 1994 A's and the worst in the majors since the 1999 Marlins.