ANGELS 1, RAYS 0: Tampa Bay gets three hits in its AL-high fifth shutout, spoiling a fine outing by Mark Hendrickson.
By MARC TOPKIN
Published May 8, 2004
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Manager Lou Piniella has tried writing different names into the Devil Rays lineup and tried writing the names in different orders. As the offense continues to be silent, he is not sure what to try next.
"I wish I were a poet," Piniella said. "I'd write an ode to scoring runs."
Actually, the Rays may need some stronger verse. They went quietly again Friday, wasting a strong start by Mark Hendrickson by getting three hits and losing 1-0 to Anaheim before a season-high crowd of 43,674 at Angel Stadium.
It was the American League-high fifth time the Rays were shut out, the 10th time they scored one or no runs, the 13th time they scored two or fewer and the mind-boggling 17th time they scored three or fewer.
"I don't know what to say," Piniella said. "I just don't know. We're going to keep working and keep trying. That's all I can say."
Through 28 games, the Rays have scored 94 runs, an average of 3.36. In the past 20 years, only four American League teams have scored fewer runs in 28 games: the 2003 Tigers, who lost 119 games; the 1988 Orioles, who lost 107; the 1988 Rangers, who lost 91; and the 1986 Mariners, who lost 95.
The Rays are headed that way. They have lost 10 of their past 12 and, for all the improvements they supposedly made, are 9-19, matching their worst 28-game records in franchise history (2001 and 2002).
Friday, they were facing John Lackey, who wasn't exactly dominating the rest of the league with a 2-3 record and 5.52 ERA.
But against the Rays? He was nearly untouchable, allowing three singles and retiring 16 straight in one stretch and 19 of the last 20.
"Everyone who pitches against us is a Cy Young candidate," Piniella said.
The Rays had two chances to score.
In the third, they loaded the bases on a single by Rey Sanchez, a bunt single by Carl Crawford and a walk to Julio Lugo, but Midre Cummings, batting third in his first start, flied to center.
The Rays didn't have another baserunner until Crawford singled to right to lead off the ninth. Lugo showed bunt once, but Piniella didn't want to play for a tie on the road, so Lugo swung away and flied to center. Crawford went to second on Cummings' groundout but got no farther, Tino Martinez grounding to first for the final out.
"We needed a ball in the gap," Piniella said. "That's what we needed."
Hendrickson pitched well, scattering seven hits over seven innings and holding the highest-scoring team in the majors to one run.
He got some help from his defense, particularly centerfielder Rocco Baldelli, who threw Robb Quinlan out at the plate to end the fourth and made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Vladimir Guerrero in the eighth.
Hendrickson, pitching with more aggressiveness and purpose, didn't do much wrong.
He worked quickly through the first couple innings, striking out the side in the second and showcasing a fastball that was consistently in the 87-88 mph range, but started getting hit a little more as the game went on.
The Angels scored the only run in the third. Shane Halter, hitless in his previous 12 at-bats, led off the third with a double to center, went to third on a bunt and scored on David Eckstein's single to left-center.
"Just got beat," Hendrickson said. "The inning they scored the run, they executed. ... That stuff happens."
