Rupe is masterful as skid ends at 4

RAYS 5, MARINERS 1: Starter has first professional complete game and John Flaherty hits grand slam.

By KEVIN KELLY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 29, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- He thought he had heard it all.

The boos. The jeers. The smattering of cheers for the occasional good effort.

Never anything like this, for sure.

Ryan Rupe stood atop the pitcher's mound Tuesday at Tropicana Field, one strike and one out from his first professional complete game, and he was immersed in the sound of a chorus of 10,810 chanting his last name.

"I was almost like, 'Be quiet,' " catcher John Flaherty said. "Sometimes he gets so excited he almost tries to do a little bit too much. But he controlled his adrenaline tonight real well and stayed in control. The end result was what we saw."

The right-hander got Seattle designated hitter Ruben Sierra to fly out to leftfield, capping a 5-1 win for the Rays over the Mariners and giving Rupe his first complete game in 80 professional starts.

"It was exciting. It felt good. It was awesome. I made some good pitches. Flash called a great game. We played some great defense. And I got lucky," Rupe said. "It was a combination of everything."

The victory ended a four-game losing streak for Tampa Bay. It also was the Rays' second complete game in seven games.

Flaherty was as much a reason as Rupe.

On the day starting catcher Toby Hall was optioned to Triple-A Durham, Flaherty came up with the big hit.

With the bases loaded and the Rays ahead 1-0 in the third inning, he sent a hanging curveball from starter Joel Pineiro into the leftfield seats.

It was his second career grand slam and first since July 1996. The Rays are 8-6 with Flaherty behind the plate and 9-26 with Hall.

"I have tried to prepare myself mentally and good things have been happening lately," said Flaherty, batting .313 through 15 games. "This game is a game of streaks, both positive and negative. I'm seeing the ball pretty well right now. I'm making contributions offensively. The bottom line is the pitching staff. If I can get them to throw well I feel like I'm a part of that facet. That's the most gratifying part of my job."

Flaherty's homer gave the Rays a 5-0 lead and a taste of offense it hadn't enjoyed since it left Seattle last week.

Tampa Bay had a .154 batting average, 11 runs and 38 strikeouts during its four losses (one to Seattle, three to Oakland). Even uglier was the Rays were shut out and held to five hits total in their final two games against the Athletics.

"Nice to be home," manager Hal McRae said. "It's nice to win a game. It's nice to go on the field and congratulate the players after a victory. I haven't done that much of late."

In his 10th start this season and second against Seattle since May 22, Rupe was on with his sinker and curveball. He was not pleased with his changeup.

The right-hander, who allowed two runs over six innings at Safeco Field on May 22, limited a combustible Mariners lineup to four singles, a double and a walk in 114 pitches.

In 15 innings against Seattle this season, Rupe has a 1.80 ERA and has allowed three runs on 10 hits. In six previous starts against the Mariners, Rupe was 0-4 with a 7.44 ERA.

"Seattle has owned me," Rupe said. "I guess it's my time to get a little luck."

After allowing a leadoff single by Bret Boone in the fifth inning, Rupe retired 12 in a row before Dan Wilson doubled down the leftfield line on a 2-and-2 count with two outs in the eighth.

Rupe, who lost 12 and had a 6.59 ERA in 2001, has worked into the seventh inning or beyond in five starts this season. He also has equaled his win total from last season, when he had five in 28 appearances.

Having never pitched a complete game in 79 major-league games, Rupe came out for the ninth having thrown 96 pitches. Ichiro Suzuki and Chris Snelling each singled.

Suzuki ended the shutout when Boone grounded out to third base.

"Rupe was awesome tonight," Flaherty said. "That makes my job fun when you watch a guy battle like that for nine innings and be all pumped up after the game."