Rally rewards a sharp McClung

RAYS 2, RANGERS 1: A two-run sixth and Joey Gathright's glove help keep Tampa Bay on its second-half roll.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published August 20, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - All Devil Rays starter Seth McClung wanted to talk about was Joey Gathright's face-planting catch against the left-centerfield wall.

Game-turning, McClung called it.

"If that's not the No. 1 play on SportsCenter, then they're not watching our games," he said.

There was no denying the drama in Friday night's seventh inning. But the real story of Tampa Bay's 2-1 victory over the Rangers at Tropicana Field was on the mound.

McClung, who not long ago spoke of a possible demotion to the minors, won his second straight decision. And the seven-inning effort in which he allowed three hits, struck out five and, most importantly, walked only one made the other good things possible.

Things such as the two-run rally in the sixth that overturned a 1-0 deficit and included Alex Gonzalez's run-scoring single assisted by Travis Lee, who screened second baseman Alfonso Soriano on the hit-and-run, and Toby Hall's sacrifice fly.

A perfect outing by Joe Borowski, who has 161/3 scoreless innings. And Danys Baez's 27th save that finished the three-hitter and sent Texas to its 10th loss in 11 games.

"We've got some young kids here that are getting a wonderful opportunity," manager Lou Piniella said, "and they're making the most of it."

The Rays have won three straight and six of seven and are 21-12 since the All-Star break. They are a majors-best 11-3 at home in that stretch and have won four straight one-run games.

And there is this: Tampa Bay, 49-73, is playing .400 ball (.402) for the first time since April 26, when it was 8-12.

McClung regrouped after walking David Dellucci to start the game. He used his best curve of the season as an out pitch and retired 13 straight after Mark Teixeira's run-scoring single in the first.

"I didn't think I had my best stuff today," said the right-hander (4-7), who entered with 50 walks in 69 innings. "I let Toby have the game. He kept calling the right pitches and I just kept throwing to his glove."

"He pitched very well," Teixeira said. "He threw a lot of strikes and came after us."

Jonny Gomes started the rally with a leadoff double. Lee singled to make it first and third with none out. Lee broke for second with Gonzalez up and slid in front of Soriano as the ground ball arrived.

It skipped under the glove of the clearly distracted second baseman for a run-scoring single. Lee went to third and scored on Hall's sacrifice fly.

Soriano led off the seventh, which brings us back to Gathright, who dug for the high fly and leaped to make the catch before slamming into the padded wall.

"I knew I had a chance," Gathright said. "I just didn't think the wall was that close."

"What a great play," Piniella said. "He never once took his eye off the ball, and as he caught it, he hit the wall still looking at the ball. That's what you want in an outfielder."

Gathright hit the wall on his right side and later said the left side of his neck was stiff. Well worth the standing ovation he got from the crowd of 10,188 as he came to the dugout.

"I thought it was gone," McClung said. "I thought he was just giving me the courtesy run."

"See the ball, catch the ball, hit the wall," Gathright said. "It felt horrible."

Nothing another win couldn't cure.

[Last modified August 20, 2005, 01:16:12]