INDIANS 8, RAYS 7 (10): Tampa Bay rallies, then runs itself out of shot at first consecutive wins.
By MARC TOPKIN
Published May 15, 2004
[AP photos]
The Rays' Julio Lugo, right, gets a high-five from Geoff Blum after tying it at 7 with a two-run blast in the ninth to cap an 11-pitch at-bat.
Rays shortstop Julio Lugo takes Jose Cruz's throw before tagging out Victor Martinez trying to stretch a single in the third.
CLEVELAND - Once again, once was enough for the Devil Rays.
Given a chance, actually a couple chances, to win a second straight game for the first time this season, the Rays failed again. This time it was 10th-inning baserunning blunders by Jose Cruz and Robert Fick, followed quickly by Casey Blake's walkoff home run off Lance Carter that led to an 8-7 loss Friday to the Indians.
The Rays have played 34 games without back-to-back wins and will have to go at least 36 until they can double up. Since 1900, only six teams, and one in the past 15 years (the 1999 Marlins), have gone deeper without doing so.
"There's no way to describe it," Carter said. "Everybody's frustrated, from the hitters to the pitchers to the coaches. You have to keep battling, keep working. Eventually things are going to turn around. Tomorrow would be a good time."
What made Friday's loss so tough to take was how hard the Rays worked for the chance to win, rallying twice just to get to extra innings with Julio Lugo, who matched a career high with five RBIs, doing most of the work.
Down 6-1 in the third after another poor start by Paul Abbott, who started 2-1 but is 0-3 in his past four starts with a 10.12 ERA, they narrowed the gap to 6-5 with a four-run fourth, Lugo's bases-loaded double the big hit.
Down 7-5 in the ninth, they tied it when Lugo capped a tremendous 11-pitch at-bat against Rafael Betancourt, including seven foul balls, with a two-run homer, pumping his fist as he rounded first.
"I thought we were going to win right there," Lugo said.
The Rays had the chance to ride the momentum and go ahead when Rocco Baldelli singled with two outs and stole second, but Tino Martinez's line drive was run down by leftfielder Matt Lawton.
It looked as if they had run into good luck in the 10th when Cruz's drive to the left-centerfield wall bounced out of Lawton's glove for a leadoff double, but instead they ran themselves out of the inning.
First, Cruz broke for third on Fick's comebacker to reliever Rick White, the ex-Ray, and was easily tagged out at third. Then Fick got doubled off first when second baseman Ronnie Belliard snared Toby Hall's liner.
Cruz said he was anticipating a ground ball to the right side and broke on contact.
"It was a tough ball to read," Cruz said. "I saw it on the right side and I took off. The pitcher stuck his glove out and caught it. I was moving too fast to see him stop it. That was it."
Manager Lou Piniella said Cruz should have known better.
"The ball's got to get by the pitcher," he said. "I mean, you're in scoring position already, you know. And then get caught in a rundown at least; don't just get tagged out at third."
Fick's play was tougher, but he took several steps toward second before turning back to first too late.
Piniella didn't hide his disgust. "I was talking about our good baserunning there in the 10th inning," he said. "That's the difference between winning and losing."
It certainly was, as Blake crushed a 1-and-1 changeup from Carter into the leftfield seats to open the 10th and end the game.
"It's like when you have something and it's taken away," Lugo said. "It's a good feeling when you have it, and it's bad when it's taken away."
