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First Posted: 5/11/2013
(AP) Evan Longoria hit a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning off Padres closer Huston Street, rallying the Tampa Bay Rays over San Diego 8-7 on Saturday night.
Street (0-2) retired the first two batters in the ninth before walking Ben Zobrist on a full count. Longoria followed with his ninth home run, handing Street his first blown save in nine tries this season.
The Rays won their fourth straight, coming back after Jesus Guzman’s pinch-hit grand slam off Jeremy Hellickson helped San Diego overcame a 6-2 deficit in the seventh.
Cesar Ramos (1-0) got the win. The Rays moved up to .500 for the first time since April 7.
James Loney hit a two-run homer as the Rays roughed up San Diego’s Burch Smith in the second inning of his major league debut. The Rays scored six runs on five hits and a couple of walks in the inning and drove Smith out of the game.
Hellickson retired 16 straight batters after giving up three hits, including Chase Headley’s two-run homer, in the first.
Hellickson took a four-run lead into the seventh, when he walked Carlos Quentin to start the Padres’ rally. After Guzman’s slam, Quentin walked again in the same inning, this time with the bases loaded against Jamey Wright to force in the lead run that made it 7-6.
Smith, a 23-year-old righty called up from Double-A San Antonio, got three quick outs, including a couple of strikeouts in the first inning.
But he walked Longoria to lead off the second and Loney followed with his second homer of the season. Smith threw 26 pitches in the inning without getting an out. Tyson Ross finished the inning for the Padres and pitched four shutout innings of relief.
Hellickson pitched 6 2-3 innings, giving up six earned runs on six hits while striking out eight.
NOTES: San Diego optioned RHP Brad Boxberger to Triple-A Tucson to open a roster spot for Smith. Boxberger appeared in two games for the Padres. …. Padres LHP Clayton Richard, recovering from an intestinal virus and eligible to come off the disabled list on May 20, will pitch for Triple-A Tucson in a rehab game on Thursday . . . Rays CF and leadoff hitter Desmond Jennings was out of the lineup for the second straight night. Manager Joe Maddon said he’s simply giving Jennings, who’s batting .244 and has a season-best seven-game hitting streak, some rest. “I think with a little respite, this guy is going to be even better when he comes back. There’s nothing wrong. I just want to give him a break,” Maddon said. Sam Fuld made his second straight start in center field. . . . Burch was the 443rd player drafted in 2011 and the ninth to make it to the majors.
Associated Press