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By MARC TOPKIN
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 21, 2001
BOSTON -- There have been times this season when it was an accomplishment for the Rays to be competitive. But like any group of kids there are things they have to learn as they grow up, and high on that to-do list is winning close games.
Thursday, they had a chance. Actually a couple of them. But when they didn't take advantage of their opportunities, leaving two men on in the sixth and the bases loaded in the eighth, the Red Sox made the best of their chances and beat them 2-1.
"We have to learn to win these games," manager Hal McRae said. "We're a young club, an inexperienced club, and it's difficult to win close games. But we have to play close games in order to give ourselves a chance to win.
"We can't get into a slugfest with anyone. We prefer to play low-scoring ballgames where we put ourselves in position to manufacture something. It was the type of game we like to play, but the type of game we have to learn to win."
Aside from their inefficiencies, the Rays', um, biggest problem was 6-foot-5, 290-pound Boston first baseman Calvin Pickering, a Tampa King product who had been in the news more this season for his size-50 pants than anything he did on the field.
Pickering hit a home run in the second off Ryan Rupe -- the team-record 27th Rupe has allowed this season -- and started the winning rally in the eighth with a leadoff single off Doug Creek.
Victor Zambrano replaced Creek, and Chris Stynes greeted him with a double to left-centerfield, scoring pinch-runner Angel Santos well ahead of Chris Gomez's relay throw.
The Rays, held to one hit through the first five innings, tied it in the sixth, but could have had more.
Gomez led off with a double off the Green Monster, went to third on Jason Tyner's bunt and scored when Brent Abernathy laced a single to left.
Steve Cox followed with another double off the wall, putting men on second and third with one out, but neither Toby Hall nor Randy Winn could get the ball out of the infield, both grounding out.
The Rays loaded the bases with one out in the eighth on singles by Tyner and Abernathy and a walk to Cox, but former Ray Rolando Arrojo caught Hall looking at strike three and got Winn on a fly to center.
"We had them out there and we had them in position to get them in without a base hit and we were unable to get them in. And when we did hit the ball well with runners in scoring position, it was right at somebody. We just couldn't find a hole," McRae said.
"It's the little things," Hall said. "One key hit and we win that ballgame."
The night wasn't a total loss. Rupe, pitching miserably for months, turned in a strong effort, allowing one run over six innings.
"He was awesome," Hall said. "He hit all his spots and used that nasty changeup to keep everybody off balance. That's how he pitches when he's on. It's a good boost for him to start to finish the season like that."
Rupe, trying to maintain a place in the rotation for next season, had problems but worked out of them. He was most impressive in the third after loading the bases on a single and two walks, striking out Trot Nixon and retiring dangerous Manny Ramirez on a fly to center.
In the fifth, Rupe (5-11, 6.73) gave up two singles, then struck out Ramirez on a check swing and got Troy O'Leary on a ground out. He finished by retiring the side in order in the sixth.'
"I thought he threw real well tonight and he finished good, which was impressive and important," McRae said.