Sports: A glint of luck beams in on Rays

ST. PETERSBURG -- In a season otherwise draped in darkness, there was a rare glimmer of light Sunday. Thankfully, for the Devil Rays, it was shining directly in Orlando Palmeiro's eyes.

With two outs in the 10th inning, the Anaheim rightfielder lost a line drive in the lights at Tropicana Field, allowing the winning run to score in Tampa Bay's 4-3 victory before an announced 11,808.

"Someone finally gave one to us," Rays manager Hal McRae said. "God knows we've given our share away."

So let the others rest. On the seventh day, the Devil Rays shall win. At least occasionally.

Tampa Bay is 4-4 in Sunday games this season. Now, that may not sound impressive, but compared with a 10-31 record on the other days of the week, it is darned near a winning rampage.

[AP photo]
Gerald Williams, right, is greeted in a rare moment of celebration by Greg Vaughn after scoring the winning run.

On the past three Sundays, the Rays have ended losing streaks of four, five and, now, three games.

Calling it divine intervention would be a stretch, but heaven knows this team needs all the otherworldly help it can get.

"We've seen a lot of strange things happen to us the wrong way," second baseman Damian Rolls said. "It's about time we had it go our way."

Actually, the Rays had it go their way twice in the 10th inning, both times courtesy of Palmeiro.

Rays shortstop Felix Martinez led off with a sinking liner to right that Palmeiro caught, and then lost, as he skidded on the turf.

"I did have it, and my glove went on the turf, and it bent my glove back and spit it out," Palmeiro said.

That was the better of Palmeiro's two plays. After Jason Tyner moved Martinez to second with a bunt and Rolls popped out to first, Gerald Williams hit a line drive to short rightfield. Palmeiro moved into position to make the catch, but he lost the ball in the lights. It sailed past him.

"That cost us the game, and it doesn't make you feel too good," Palmeiro said. "You've worked that hard to be in that position to get back in the game, and then that happens."

But the Angels would not have reached extra innings if not for Palmeiro. The Rays had a 3-2 lead in the ninth, but the Angels tied it after Scott Spiezio hit a one-out triple and Palmeiro came off the bench to line an opposite-field single for the tying run.

It was the second straight blown save for Esteban Yan, who converted his first five save opportunities. Rookie Travis Phelps pitched a perfect eighth inning, but McRae said Yan needs to get the ball in the ninth.

"When the run is given up, Esty has to give it up," McRae said. "That's the way we should lose leads; that's the way we should lose games. That's the procedure for now, and I would assume it will be that way all year. Dependability and reliability are essential. Everybody in the ballpark needs to know who is coming in. Players need to know who is coming in."

Although it was eventually a happy ending for the Rays, the blown save did little for Bryan Rekar's record.

Rekar has gotten less run support than all but one pitcher in the majors. He has been victimized by so many errors, he averages one unearned per start. And now he has been let down by the bullpen when he was three outs from his first victory of 2001.

"If you look at this guy's arm, it's hard to believe he's 0-6," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He shut us down."

The Angels had a 2-0 lead after two innings, but the Rays went ahead in the sixth when Randy Winn fought back from an 0-and-2 count to hit a two-out, two-run single up the middle.

After tying it in the ninth, the Angels had a chance for the victory in the 10th. Darin Erstad led off with a single, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. With the infield playing in, Wally Joyner hit a bouncer to first baseman Steve Cox, who fired home to John Flaherty.

Erstad, a former Nebraska football player, went into Flaherty shoulder-first, but the Rays catcher held on for the out.

"Cox is the one who made the play. He gave me a perfect throw to handle,' Flaherty said. "My part was a no-brainer. I just had to turn and apply the tag."

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