Tigers trip Rays with HR in 10th

Damion Easley's blast off Roberto Hernandez dooms Tampa Bay, which blows two leads and a chance to win it in the 9th.

By BRUCE LOWITT

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 4, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Devil Rays had a chance to walk off the field in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday night and give Roberto Hernandez a victory. But they couldn't figure out a way to capitalize on a two-on, one-out situation.

Hernandez, who preserved the tie in the ninth, couldn't hold on in the 10th. With two outs, he grooved a 2-1 pitch that Damion Easley crushed 440 feet for a home run, letting the Detroit Tigers walk away with a 5-4 victory.

Hernandez, who had made six straight scoreless appearances, retired the first two batters before giving up his sixth homer of the season, a shot to straightaway centerfield that landed on the roof of the the Batter's Eye restaurant.

Bubba Trammell started the bottom of the 10th with a walk. Trammell took second on catcher Brad Ausmus' passed ball. But Jones struck out Fred McGriff, Bobby Smith and Vinny Castilla for his 24th save.

[Times photo: Michael Rondou] Roberto Hernandez gets a new ball after the old one was launched over the centerfield fence.

Gerald Williams, back in the lineup after missing seven games with a left hip flexor, could have given the Rays and the announced crowd of 15,709 a victory in the ninth after Matt Anderson walked Mike DiFelice and pinch-hitter Steve Cox with one out. But after Randy Winn swung at Danny Patterson's first pitch and grounded to first, Williams struck out to end the inning.

Twice the Devil Rays gave reliever-turned-starter Esteban Yan the lead: 2-1 on Bubba Trammell's two-run double in the third and 4-3 on DiFelice's homer in the fourth. Twice Yan couldn't hold it. After five innings he was gone.

He pitched out of the stretch with limited success, particularly against bottom-of-the-order batter Deivi Cruz. Cruz's two doubles were responsible for the Tigers' first three runs.

Cruz led off the third inning with a drive into the right-centerfield gap. He was bunted to third and scored when Winn's throw home on Rich Becker's routine fly ball to center was late and up the third-base line.

Winn didn't help his reputation in the seventh inning when Nelson Cruz, who had hit him with a pitch, picked him off first in what was still a tie game.

Hernandez came on in the ninth for the Rays to hold the tie. Luis Polonia grounded a one-out single to left, but DiFelice threw him out trying to steal second.

Trammell, in what could have been his last game as a full-time leftfielder, did everything he could to leave a lasting impression.

When Greg Vaughn returns, likely today or Wednesday, from his stay on the disabled list, Trammell figures to have to share the designated hitter role with Steve Cox. That is until Jose Canseco returns, at which point Trammell and Cox probably will spend more time in the dugout.

Trammell doubled home the Rays' first two runs to put them ahead 2-1 in the third. In the fourth he charged in and made a sliding backhand catch of Easley's line drive. And when Easley singled over third base to send Becker home and tie the score at 4 in the fifth, Trammell threw him out at second to prevent further damage.

Becker doubled to right to open the fifth -- with an assist of sorts. Jose Guillen's throw to second had Becker beaten, but shortstop Felix Martinez tried to make a diving tag before he had the ball.

The Tigers' offense was depleted with the absence of Tony Clark (sore back) and outfielder Juan Gonzalez (sore ankle).

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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