Rookie, rain drown out Devil Rays

MARLINS 2, RAYS 0 (5): Dontrelle Willis allows two hits for his sixth straight win in rain-shortened game.

MIAMI - When it rains, it pours.

The Devil Rays season just keeps getting worse, and Saturday even the heavens unloaded on them.

Already looking at an uphill task by facing Florida pitching sensation Dontrelle Willis, the Rays had another long night because of a short game. In a game cut short by rain, the Rays lost to Willis and the Marlins 2-0 before 15,397 at Pro Player Stadium.

"We just can't catch a break," Rays manager Lou Piniella said. "We're in the game 2-0. It's not like we're out of it. But when you're struggling, things don't go your way."

With Willis, the rookie who is now 7-1, throwing peas, the Rays managed just two first-inning hits before the Marlins scored two in the fourth. And that turned out to be the ballgame.

A slight drizzle turned into a steady downpour as the sixth inning was about to start. Following a 1-hour, 52-minute delay, the game was called and the Rays had lost for the 16th time in their past 19 games.

So just when you think the Rays have lost in every possible fashion, they come up with a new one. Saturday's game was the first time the Rays had played an official game of less than nine innings.

Whether the Rays would have mounted a comeback never will be known. Recent play suggests not, since they have managed three runs in the past 39 innings. Still, the Rays had the bats literally taken out of their hands.

"That's the way it has been for us all year," rightfielder Aubrey Huff said. "Seems like every game, all year long, something goes wrong. Bad bounce, stuff like that. We just haven't had the horseshoe on our side the whole year."

They could have used a horseshoe, a few rabbits' feet and an outfield of four-leaf clovers to go against Willis.

Just 21 years old, Willis has become baseball's hottest story in the past month. He has won six straight games, including a one-hitter against the Mets last week, with an 0.80 ERA over than span.

Using a funky windup with a high leg kick, Willis gave up singles to Damian Rolls and Huff in the first, then retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced, including four on strikeouts.

"He seems like one of those guys that if you see him enough, you might be able to time him," Huff said. "But it's tough (to pick up the ball). You see a whole lot of motion there. Kind of herky-jerky. When you get a guy like that, it's tough."

Oddly, the only batter to reach after the first inning was Rays starting pitcher Jason Standridge, who walked in his first plate appearance since spring training three years ago.

Not so odd, Standridge was erased when he was caught stealing after going halfway to second, stopping, then trying to dive to the base.

"I don't really know what I was thinking," Standridge said. "I tried my best, (but) it has been so long since I've been on the bases, maybe six or seven years."

Standridge did a little better on the mound. He gave up five hits and two runs in five innings.

Standridge's only detour was in the fourth when the Marlins scored twice. Ivan Rodriguez singled, and Juan Encarnacion and Derrek Lee hit back-to-back doubles.

The Marlins then turned the game over to Willis and the rain.