| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
TORONTO (AP) -- Cory Lidle has recorded both of Tampa Bay's last
two wins. Unfortunately for the Devil Rays, there was quite a gap
between them.
|  | | Darrin Fletcher (left) celebrates with Brad Fullmer after hitting a two-run homer in the sixth, Fletcher's 19th of the season. |
The Devil Rays stopped their 10-game losing streak -- the longest
in the AL this season -- as Lidle did not allow an earned run in six
innings Friday night in a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Lidle dedicated the win to his newborn son.
"This win, and everyone after this, is for him," said Lidle,
whose wife, Melanie, gave birth to Christopher Taylor on Monday.
Lidle (3-6), who was in Las Vegas to see the birth, gave up two
unearned runs. The 28-year-old right-hander struck out three and
walked three.
Lidle savored the win, especially after all he went though to
rejoin the team in Tampa Bay on Thursday. Lidle flew out of Las
Vegas on Wednesday and landed in Indianapolis, where he couldn't
get a flight to Tampa Bay. He slept in the airport.
"I went to get a hotel in town, but there was a race in town so
all the hotels were sold out," Lidle said. "I went to try to rent
a van to sleep in, but all those were sold out, too, so I camped
out on a seat in a terminal, but I got kicked out of there at three
in the morning because they close the terminal, so I went to the
baggage claim and slept."
Lidle didn't get back to Tampa Bay until 10 a.m. on Thursday,
and then he had to take a flight to Toronto in the afternoon.
"That race killed me," Lidle said.
The Blue Jays pounded Lidle the last time he faced them.
"It was disastrous," said Lidle, who gave up nine runs in just
3 1/3 innings on July 29. "They were diving, so my main thing
tonight was to pitch in a lot to get them off the plate. I also
kept the ball down."
The Blue Jays, who had won their previous four games, entered
the day 2 1/2 games behind Cleveland and Oakland in the AL wild-card
race, and 4 1/2 behind New York in the AL East.
"Obviously it's a tough loss, but we can't do anything about
it," Toronto's Darrin Fletcher said. "Lidle pitched well against
us."
Tampa Bay rookie catcher Toby Hall got his first major-league
hit in the second inning, and hit his first major-league home run
in his next at-bat in the fifth.
"I was just trying to be aggressive, and it worked out good,"
said Hall, who hit a first-pitch fastball for the homer.
"I was a little nervous reading the lineup they had, but we
kept them off-balance and Cory pitched great."
Tony Batista drew a leadoff walk from Roberto Hernandez in the
ninth. After Fletcher singled for his fourth hit of the game, Jose
Cruz Jr. sacrificed the runners into scoring position.
Mickey Morandini then grounded to first baseman Fred McGriff,
whose throw to catcher John Flaherty nailed Batista at the plate.
Hernandez struck out Shannon Stewart for his 30th save.
"It's a game of inches," Fletcher said. "They made the play
on Batista."
The Devil Rays improved to 4-15 all-time in Canada, including
3-13 in Toronto.
Down 2-1 in the seventh, Toronto reliever John Frascatore (2-4)
allowed a leadoff double to Felix Martinez before Randy Winn hit an
RBI double to tie it. Kelvim Escobar relieved and Vaughn singled to
center to give Tampa Bay the lead.
Esteban Yan pitched two scoreless innings and Hernandez
relieved.
Hall gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead with his homer in the fifth.
After third baseman's Aubrey Huff's fielding error allowed Brad
Fullmer to reach in the sixth, Fletcher homered to give Toronto a
2-1 lead.
Game notes
RF Raul Mondesi, who had elbow surgery in August, will
return to the Toronto lineup Saturday. ... RHP Roy Halladay will
start on Saturday. Halladay, who was in the bullpen, replaces RHP
Joey Hamilton, who has a strained right shoulder ... The Devil Rays
are just 3-16 in September. ... Fletcher hit his career-high 19th
homer.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
Toronto Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 3
Boston 1
Detroit 9
NY Yankees 6
Tampa Bay 3
Toronto 2
Kansas City 3
Cleveland 2
Chi. White Sox 5
Minnesota 4
Anaheim 2
Texas 1
Oakland 8
Seattle 3
Chicago Cubs 5
St. Louis 4
Cincinnati 12
Houston 5
Montreal 6
Atlanta 4
NY Mets 9
Philadelphia 6
Pittsburgh 0
Milwaukee 0
Florida 8
Colorado 4
San Diego 3
Los Angeles 2
Arizona 7
San Francisco 1
|
