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  Tuesday, Aug. 15 7:05pm ET
Sturtze gives D-Rays another strong start
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

BOSTON (AP) -- A change of scenery may be all Tanyon Sturtze and Miguel Cairo needed.

Sturtze pitched another strong game since being traded by the Chicago White Sox, and Cairo kept up his hot hitting away from home as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 Tuesday night.

Tanyon Sturtze
Tanyon Sturtze, primarily a reliever before the White Sox traded him to Tampa Bay, is 2-0 in three starts with the D-Rays.

Sturtze allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings, and Cairo drove in two runs one night after his three-run homer off Pedro Martinez provided all the Devil Rays' runs in a 7-3 loss.

"He pitched better than his linescore even indicates," Tampa Bay manager Larry Rothschild said of Sturtze, "and his linescore is pretty good."

Sturtze, who struck out four and allowed two walks and eight hits, is 2-0 in three starts, and Tampa Bay has won all three of those games. He was primarily a reliever for Chicago, which traded him May 31, and he has made 14 relief appearances for the Devil Rays.

"Coming out of the bullpen, I didn't get a real chance, but I was in a position where they had enough starters," said Sturtze, who went seven strong innings in his previous start against Minnesota. "I just haven't gotten the opportunity I've gotten now."

Cairo is making the most of his opportunities on the road, where he's hitting. 327, more than 50 percent better than his home average is .212. He had an RBI single in the second off Jeff Fassero (8-6) and a sacrifice fly in the seventh against Rich Garces, giving him 33 RBI this year.

"I got an opportunity to hit with men in scoring position," he said after an impressive encore to his first homer of the year. "I don't know why I haven't hit well at home. It's only this year."

Cairo also had two of Tampa Bay's five stolen bases, matching the club record set against Toronto on June 17, 1998.

Sturtze, making his 10th career start and fourth this season, was especially effective against Boston's No. 3 hitter, Carl Everett, who went 1-for-5 and stranded six runners.

"Sometimes you just need the key hit and tonight we didn't get it," Nomar Garciaparra said. "That's the most frustrating thing, when your pitcher does a good job and the whole pitching staff pitches well."

After singles by Trot Nixon and Lou Merloni put runners on first and third with one out in the seventh, Everett flied out. Garciaparra followed with a two-out single off Sturtze and Doug Creek relieved, retiring pinch-hitter Bernard Gilkey on a flyout.

"Fassero pitched a good game," Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said. "We had our chances but when we had them they seemed to make their pitch."

Fred McGriff singled home Tampa Bay's final run in the ninth off Hipolito Pichardo.

Roberto Hernandez got five outs for his 22nd save in 28 chances.

Boston lost for the second time in six games, while Tampa Bay is 6-1 in its last seven road games.

Fassero struck out a season-high 10, allowing one run and five hits in six innings.

Tampa Bay took advantage of Fassero's early wildness -- and Cairo's ability to hit the left-hander -- in the second.

Quinton McCracken walked, and advanced to third on a groundout as Scott Hatteberg's passed ball. Gerald Williams walked and Cairo, who is 6-for-9 against Fassero, singled.

Boston stranded two runners in each of the third and fourth innings, and left the bases loaded in the fifth when Brian Daubach struck out.

The Devil Rays threatened in the first when they loaded the bases on a single by Cairo and walks to Fred McGriff and John Flaherty. But Jose Guillen struck out.

In the third, Guillen singled with two outs and Russ Johnson followed with a single off the left-field wall. Guillen tried to score but was thrown out easily by Garciaparra, who took the throw from Darren Lewis and relayed it home.

Game notes
In the first three innings, Fassero walked four and allowed four hits. He also struck out four and escaped with just one run. ... Cairo's two stolen bases in the first and second innings gave him a career-high 25. The team record of 26 was set by Randy Winn in 1998. ... Daubach battled Sturtze with the bases loaded in the fifth, fouling off five pitches before striking out on a 3-and-2 pitch. ... The last time Fassero recorded double figures in strikeouts was July 5 of last season, when he struck out 10 in a 4-0 win over Anaheim. ... Rico Brogna went 0-for-4 after winning Monday's game with a grand slam in the ninth.
 


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RECAPS
Tampa Bay 3
Boston 1

Anaheim 8
Toronto 4

Chi. White Sox 14
Baltimore 4

Minnesota 6
Kansas City 2

NY Yankees 10
Texas 2

Oakland 5
Cleveland 3

Detroit 9
Seattle 0

St. Louis 4
Chicago Cubs 2

NY Mets 7
Colorado 5

NY Mets 4
Colorado 3

(2nd game)

Florida 7
Los Angeles 3

San Francisco 9
Montreal 7

Arizona 11
Philadelphia 6

Atlanta 3
San Diego 1

Houston 5
Pittsburgh 4

Milwaukee 2
Cincinnati 1