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Sunday, Oct. 1 1:15pm ET
McGriff wins it for D-Rays | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Manager Larry Rothschild had no doubt Fred McGriff would come through. McGriff knocked in the game-winning run with a bases-loaded pinch-hit groundout in the 10th inning as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 Sunday. After helping the Devil Rays record their 11th walkoff win of the season, Rothschild had a simple message for McGriff. "I knew you were going to win it because the Bucs are on," said a smiling Rothschild of McGriff, a Tampa native and big fan of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ozzie Timmons opened the 10th with a single off Rick Croushore (0-1). Pinch-runner Jason Tyner stole second on a pitch out and went to third on Russ Johnson's sacrifice bunt. Tampa Bay loaded the bases with one out after Bobby Smith walked and John Flaherty was intentionally walked. McGriff then hit a high chopper to second that the Red Sox could only get a force out at second. "We went out on a good note, but we lost 90 games," McGriff said. "That can't be to good." The Devil Rays (69-92) did become the fifth expansion team _ out of 14 -- to improve their winning percentage thru their first three years of play. Steve Cox homered for the Devil Rays, who have won eight of 10. Dan Wheeler (1-1) got the final two outs in the top of the 10th. Tampa Bay could take part in a makeup game left Monday against Oakland. Trot Nixon and Morgan Burkhart hit solo homers for Boston. Albie Lopez, who did not factor in the decision, was stymied in his bid to become the winningest pitcher in Tampa Bay's brief history. Lopez, who allowed two runs and eight hits in eight innings, is tied with current Red Sox pitcher Rolando Arrojo with 21 wins in a Devil Rays uniform. The Red Sox used six pitchers. The bullpen committee filled the void after Boston opted not to start Pedro Martinez after being eliminated from postseason play. Boston's Hector Carrasco allowed four hits over two scoreless innings in his first major league start after 401 relief appearances. The Red Sox also gave many of their regulars the day off, including AL batting champion Nomar Garciaparra. He finished the season hitting .372. "If we don't win the World Series, I'm disappointed," Garciaparra said. "So, I'm disappointed in this season. But our team never gave up." The Red Sox wound up 85-77, 2 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East. "One game either way could have dictated something different," Boston closer Derek Lowe said. "We were right in there. Your goal every year isn't trying to beat the Yankees. You're trying to beat 29 other teams. We just fell a little short." Boston took a 1-0 lead when Nixon hit his 12th homer in the third inning. Sixteen batters -- eight for each team -- reached base through three innings, however, Nixon's homer accounted for the only run. After Cox tied it with his 11th homer in the fifth inning, Burkhart put Boston ahead 2-1 with his fourth homer in the sixth. Burkhart hit a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning of Boston's 4-2 win Saturday. "You play to win, that's it," Boston manager Jimy Williams said. "You never know when it might be the last game that you'll have an opportunity to wear a major-league uniform. That's how you play the game, with respect." Tampa Bay drew even again when Greg Vaughn's sacrifice fly made it 2-2 in the seventh. The announced crowd was 28,043. Through Sunday's game the Devil Rays have drawn 1,549,052 at home. The total is slightly below last season's total of 1,562,967. Game notesGarciaparra, who has won back-to-back batting titles, has hit .365 over the past two seasons. ... Lopez has four losses and two no decisions in his past six starts. ... The Tampa Bay BBWAA chapter selected CF Gerald Williams as the Devil Rays MVP. ... Williams hit a foul ball in the fifth inning that stuck on an overhanging catwalk. After heading back toward his position, Red Sox 3B Lou Merloni jokingly turned around and ran back toward the spot where the ball landed. ... The victory was Wheeler's first in the majors. ... The Devil Rays, whose preseason advertising slogan was the Hit Show, were outhomered 109-76 at home. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Boston Clubhouse Tampa Bay Clubhouse RECAPS Cleveland 11 Toronto 4
Tampa Bay 3
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