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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Gerald Williams helped the Tampa Bay
Devil Rays win a game they seemingly tried to lose.
Williams homered and hit an RBI single in the 10th inning as
Tampa Bay survived a bizarre eighth inning to beat the Kansas City
Royals 7-6 for a four-game sweep.
|  | | Gerald Williams capped a great four-game series against the Royals Sunday with this 10th-inning double, which lifted Tampa Bay to victory. |
"It's just a situation where you're dealing with things as they
are, not as they were," Williams said after the Devil Rays blew a
6-2 lead in an eighth inning that included two passed balls, two
wild pitches and two walks and a hit batter.
Russ Johnson led off the 10th with an infield single off Jerry
Spradlin (4-3). Two outs later, Johnson stole second, setting up
Williams' game-winning hit to left field. Williams has driven in 27
runs this month, setting a Tampa Bay record.
"You just have to concentrate on each at-bat and find a way to
win. It's up to us to show that we're consistent," said Williams,
who drove in eight runs during the series.
Tanyon Sturtze (2-2) pitched the ninth and Roberto Hernandez
worked the 10th for his 20th save.
"We made about as many mistakes to (Williams) as we have ever
made to any hitter," Kansas City manager Tony Muser said. "He
just wore us out this series and we just kept making mistakes to
him."
The Royals lost for the 13th time in their last 16 home games
despite the eighth-inning rally.
"We just played bad baseball," outfielder Johnny Damon said.
Damon drew a leadoff walk to start the eighth off Doug Creek.
Estaban Yan came in and gave up a single to Rey Sanchez and the
runners advanced to second and third on a passed ball by John
Flaherty.
Yan then hit Mike Sweeney on the right hand. Sweeney left the
game for pinch-runner Jeff Reboulet with a bruised hand and was to
have X-rays Monday.
Damon scored on Flaherty's second passed ball of the inning, and
one out later, Joe Randa hit a two-run double. Mark Guthrie
relieved and struck out Mark Quinn before throwing a wild pitch
that sent Randa to third.
After Dave McCarty was intentionally walked, Hector Ortiz tied
the game with an RBI single.
The Devil Rays took a 6-2 lead with a run in the seventh and two
more in the eighth. Jason Tyner, acquired Friday in a trade from
the New York Mets, had an RBI single in the eighth.
Williams hit a solo homer, his 16th, off Jeff Suppan in the
fifth to give Tampa Bay a 3-2 lead. Williams has 62 RBIs in 78
games as a leadoff hitter.
Suppan had gone into the game tied with James Baldwin of the
Chicago White Sox for the league lead in homers allowed with 28.
Devil Rays starter Steve Trachsel went seven innings, giving up
nine hits and striking out three without walking a batter.
Tampa Bay scored twice with two outs in the first on an RBI
double by Jose Canseco and an RBI single by Jose Guillen.
Kansas City scored twice in the fourth on a run-scoring double
by Quinn and an RBI single by McCarty.
Game notes
Damon's third-inning single was his 50th hit in July. He
became the fourth player in Royals history to get 50 hits in a
month, joining George Brett, Willie Wilson and Randa. He singled
again in the fifth. ... Dye returned to right field for the Royals
after sitting out Friday's game and playing DH Saturday following
the mild concussion he suffered when he crashed into the wall
Thursday chasing a fly ball.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
Kansas City Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 10
Cleveland 7
Tampa Bay 7
Kansas City 6
NY Yankees 7
Minnesota 4
Oakland 5
Boston 2
Seattle 10
Toronto 6
Chi. White Sox 11
Anaheim 7
Detroit 8
Texas 7
Atlanta 6
Houston 3
Cincinnati 7
Montreal 4
Philadelphia 3
Los Angeles 2
San Diego 9
Pittsburgh 8
NY Mets 4
St. Louis 2
Milwaukee 3
Colorado 2
Chicago Cubs 3
San Francisco 1
Florida 4
Arizona 3
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