Howell about that!

In his 2007 debut, J.P. Howell allows just five hits in eight innings.

By EDUARDO A. ENCINA
Published June 4, 2007

J.P. Howell takes a water break in the middle of the 4th inning in the Rays dugout.
	[James Borchuck Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [James Borchuck | Times] B. J. Upton scores ahead of the throw to Jason LaRue on Carl Crawford's double in the third. It came one batter after Upton doubled and put the Rays ahead 1-0.

ST. PETERSBURG - J.P. Howell will likely never be seen as the pitching staff savior, but the recently recalled left-hander gave the Devil Rays exactly what they needed Sunday afternoon.

Howell - one half of the rotation reshuffling last week - shut down the Royals 5-1, giving Tampa Bay fans something to cheer about after consecutive losses to a team that had arrived at Tropicana Field tied for the worst record in baseball and having lost seven in a row.

"That was perfect timing, " Rays first baseman Carlos Pena said. "No matter which point of view you take, it was a superb start."

And as Howell walked slowly off the mound and toward the dugout in the middle of the eighth inning, he received a standing ovation from what remained of the announced 12, 220 in attendance, having pitched one of his best games as a Devil Ray and injected some life into a foundering rotation.

"As our starting pitching goes, we're going to go, " manager Joe Maddon said. "That's primary. Performances like that are contagious."

Despite throwing pitches in the high 70s to mid 80s, Howell kept his former team off-balance while demonstrating the control that was mostly missing during his brief stint here last season.

Howell allowed just five hits and one run - a Jason LaRue homer in the fifth - over a career-high eight innings, but what stood out most was that he struck out seven without issuing a walk.

"I was going right at the hitter, trying to hit my spot and trying to execute my pitch, " Howell, 24, said. "Whatever happened, (the hitter) had to do it. I kind of put it on them.

"Before, I think, I kind of put it on myself."

Said Royals manager Buddy Bell: "The main thing is that he didn't walk anybody. It was a pretty good performance, I would say."

Howell didn't allow a baserunner after Esteban German's fifth-inning single, retiring the final 12 batters he faced. He got some help from his fielders, most notably Ty Wigginton's diving stop down the third-base line that robbed Tony Pena of extra bases in the seventh.

Maddon considered keeping Howell in after the eighth, but his pitch count was at 100 and he hadn't gone deep into too many games before he was called up from Triple-A Durham on Friday. Closer Al Reyes finished in a nonsave situation.

"I thought he was even calmer than I saw him last year at any time, " Maddon said. "I know he believes he belongs here, and that's very important. And I know he believes he can win here. He went out and showed it."

Howell, who along with right-hander Andy Sonnanstine replaced demoted starters Jae Seo and Casey Fossum, lost the competition for the No. 5 starter spot to Edwin Jackson this spring. But Howell ended up making the most of his time with Durham, focusing on mastering a cutter as well as his location.

Sunday, he used that third pitch to complement his fastball and changeup, pounding hitters inside.

"It's tough at first, " Howell said of starting the season at Triple A. "But I'm glad it happened. I think it benefited me a lot, more than if I was up here. I don't think you would have seen (Sunday) unless I went down.

"I think I learned the most I've ever learned in those two months (at Durham)."

With the Rays hanging on to a one-run lead in the fourth, Howell escaped a one-out bases-loaded jam, striking out Ryan Shealy and inducing Tony Pena into a flyout to right.

In the sixth inning, Rays catcher Dioner Navarro legged out a triple off starter Scott Elarton that hit the top of the rightfield fence, bounced back into play and scored Carlos Pena from first. Brendan Harris' broken-bat single between third and shortstop scored Navarro.

Pena added his team-high 11th homer of the season in the eighth off Ryan Braun.

[Last modified June 3, 2007, 23:52:24]