Rays give Red Sox a reason to celebrate

After Carlos Pena puts the Rays ahead, Boston batters Al Reyes and clinches a playoff berth.

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 23, 2007

Julio Lugo tips his cap to fans, a few of whom might actually have pulled for him with the Rays, after keying Boston's win.
	[EDMUND D. FOUNTAIN | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [EDMUND D. FOUNTAIN | Times] Closer Al Reyes, second from left, confers with catcher Dioner Navarro, left, pitching coach Jim Hickey and first baseman Carlos Pena during the Red Sox's three-run rally in the ninth. Boston has handed Reyes three of his four blown saves.

ST. PETERSBURG - Watching the Red Sox hit two ninth-inning home runs to foil their impressive comeback on Carlos Pena's 42nd homer was bad enough for the Rays on Saturday.

Watching the Sox gather behind the Tropicana Field mound after the 8-6 victory to celebrate clinching a playoff spot was worse.

"Believe me, all of us right here, we were hurting," Pena said. "Obviously, we wanted to come out with that win. We have pride. I know we're not in a playoff run or anything like that, but we want to win every single one of those games. When we see the Red Sox celebrating on our turf, we hate it. We really do."

The Rays 63-92 seemed poised for their first win since last Sunday when Pena hit a three-run home run with a full count and two outs in the seventh off reliever Javier Lopez, who'd allowed just one homer in 58 previous games, putting the Rays up 6-5.

But the Red Sox, trying to clinch a postseason spot and keep the Yankees from slicing their AL East Division lead to 1 1/2, showed their resolve, and perhaps the momentum that could carry them deep into October, rallying to beat Rays closer Al Reyes for the third time in six weeks.

"I don't know," Reyes said.

Jason Varitek drove an 0-and-1 fastball that Reyes left up into the leftfield seats. Eric Hinske doubled, Coco Crisp worked a nine-pitch at-bat before popping out and ex-Ray Julio Lugo delivered the last blow, knocking Reyes' first pitch, a fastball that wasn't as outside as it was supposed to be, into the seats.

"They've got something going on," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

The Sox kept the celebration (their second at the Trop, two more than any team) muted, gathering for what amounted to a group hug behind the mound and extended handshakes, though cheered raucously by many in the crowd of 34,626. They then held a gentle champagne toast in the clubhouse.

"We are right where we want to be right now," Lugo said. "We're just playing to get into the playoffs. ... The most important thing is that we're in."

It turned out to be something of a numbers game for the Rays.

They struck out 10 times, breaking the 1996 Tigers' AL record by pushing their total to 1,270. B.J. Upton became the first 20-20 player in Rays history, stealing his 20th base to go with his 26 homers. Pena extended the team record with his 41st and 42nd homers, broke Fred McGriff's season walk mark with his 92nd and moved within one of Jorge Cantu's team RBI record of 117.

As disappointing of a night as it turned out, with Reyes admitting how bad he felt and Upton shaking his head over how much support there was for the Red Sox, Maddon said in a way it was a good lesson for the young Rays to watch the Sox celebrate.

"I do like that," he said. "I've gone through that in the past in my previous life (with the Angels) and I've seen that and hated it. And when you get a chance to do it yourself, you know what it feels like. So I'm good with our guys seeing that because that's our goal, to be jumping around on the pitcher's mound."

Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@sptimes.com View his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/rays.

[Last modified September 23, 2007, 01:01:24]