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Youngster endures one of those days

By KEVIN KELLY

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 9, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- Nick Bierbrodt shrugged and smiled.

"Every pitcher has had days like this," the Rays left-hander said after his worst outing since being acquired from Arizona on July 25.

By the time manager Hal McRae pulled Bierbrodt with two outs in the fourth inning against the Yankees on Wednesday, the 23-year-old had allowed a club-record 13 hits and seven runs.

New York had scored three times before it got eight straight hits off Bierbrodt, including two-run home runs by David Justice and Clay Bellinger, in the third and fourth innings.

"If you get the ball up, these guys are some of the best hitters in the world, they're going to hit the ball no matter how hard you throw it," Bierbrodt said. "Especially when it's out over the plate."

Since holding Texas to one run over six innings July 28, his Rays debut, Bierbrodt has allowed 11 earned runs in his past two starts (92/3 innings).

"I'm looking forward to hopefully facing them again," he said of the Yankees. "I got ahead of them. I just couldn't put them away with my good stuff. I didn't have that (Wednesday). Hopefully next time."

FIRST AGAIN: A back injury in 1998, Aubrey Huff believes, helped him get to the majors.

As a junior first baseman at Miami in 1998, Huff tried out at third when teammate Pat Burrell hurt his back.

"(Coach Jim Morris) liked the way I looked over there and I played there the rest of the year," Huff said. "I did well enough where Pat came back they put him at DH the rest of the year."

Huff was drafted in the fifth round by the Rays after the season, was promoted from Triple-A Durham on April 13 and has played 72 games at third this season. A back injury to first baseman Steve Cox has put Huff in his original spot for the past three games.

"It's fun to play there again," he said. "I haven't played there in so long, it's kind of a refreshing change of pace."

ARM UPDATES: Right-hander Bryan Rekar, disabled since July 20 with shoulder tendinitis, is scheduled to make his first rehab start with Double-A Orlando tonight.

Wilson Alvarez started for the O-Rays against Mobile on Wednesday and pitched four innings. He allowed three runs on eight hits, striking out three.

Durham pitcher Juan Guzman, recovering from rotator cuff surgery, gave up five runs in five innings against Columbus on Tuesday. He struck out three and walked three.

BACK IN LEFTFIELD: Yankees outfielder Gerald Williams played at the Trop for the first time since the Rays released him June 25.

Williams, who hit .207 in 62 games for the Rays and has played in 18 games for New York, got a mixture of boos and cheers when he was introduced. He finished 1-for-5 with an infield single and a walk.

ODDS AND ENDS: According to McRae, Jason Standridge will have a pitch count today somewhere in the "80 range." ... Shortstop Chris Gomez will rest today. Felix Martinez will face Yankees starter Roger Clemens. ... The Rays' RBI youth baseball team will play Cincinnati in the RBI World Series senior division championship game at noon today at the Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World. ... Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte improved to 6-1 lifetime against the Rays.

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