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Oakland at Tampa Bay

Scoreboard
Oakland100110100490
Tampa Bay «02210110x7110
Devil Rays 7, Athletics 4
 

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay found its offense against Oakland on Saturday night.

Pete LaForest and Carl Crawford drove in two runs each and Aubrey Huff stole home to lead the Devil Rays over the Athletics 7-4.

"We've been talking about putting up runs against this team and we did," Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella said.

The Devil Rays had scored just 13 runs in losing six straight to the A's and 18 of 21. LaForest hit a two-run double and Crawford had a pair of RBI singles for the Devil Rays (56-84), who surpassed their 2002 victory total.

Huff stole home in the seventh. He broke for the plate as pinch-hitter Terry Shumpert got into position for a bunt, and Ricardo Rincon's pitch went behind Shumpert, allowing Huff to score.

"It's just a freak thing," said Huff of his seventh career stolen base, his second this year. "I was just lucky to get one regular steal."

Huff wasn't aware the bunt play was on until third base coach Tom Foley said something at the last second.

"I just took off," Huff said.

Jose Guillen homered and drove in two runs for the AL West-leading Athletics, who maintained a two-game lead over second-place Seattle. Oakland has lost three of four following a 10-game winning streak.

"It's coming down to the end and we've got to continue to focus, play hard and we've got make sure we get the good pitching," Oakland manager Ken Macha said.

Rob Bell (4-3) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. Lance Carter pitched the ninth for his 23rd save in 29 chances.

Athletics bench coach Terry Francona was ejected by plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt in the eighth for expressing displeasure about the strike zone.

"I'm as stunned as anybody," Macha said. "He said we were badgering him all night. ... That's not a true statement."

Oakland starter Rich Harden (4-4) allowed five runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. He has given up 25 runs and 34 hits over 27 1/3 innings in last six starts.

"I feel strong but my velocity was down," Harden said. "I'm more inconsistent now than I ever have been."

Erubiel Durazo's sacrifice fly put Oakland ahead in the first, but LaForest's two-out, two-run double gave Tampa Bay the lead in the second.

Huff had an RBI grounder and Al Martin drove in a run with a double to make it 4-1 in the third. Huff has 22 RBI in his past 15 games.

Guillen's fourth-inning homer pulled the A's to 4-2. All six of his homers with Oakland have been solo shots.

Tampa Bay got the run back in the bottom half on Crawford's RBI single, which chased Harden. Guillen had an RBI single in the fifth.

Crawford hit his second RBI single for a 6-3 lead in the sixth. Eric Chavez singled home a run in the seventh.

Notes: Guillen was back in the lineup after sitting out two games while serving a suspension for his actions with Cincinnati earlier this year. ... Devil Rays CF Rocco Baldelli took away an extra-base hit from Durazo with a leaping catch near the fence in third. ... Oakland LF Terrence Long, in an 0-for-11 slide, singled in the second and fourth. ... Crawford stole second in the third. He leads the AL with 47 stolen bases. ... Martin had struck out in four previous at-bats - including once Saturday - against Harden before his third-inning double.


AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2003, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
 
 
 
Mark Ellis, 2B4220102 .253
Erubiel Durazo, DH3001112 .248
Miguel Tejada, SS5110013 .274
Eric Chavez, 3B5011002 .280
Jose Guillen, RF3122001 .317
Scott Hatteberg, 1B4000022 .254
Terrence Long, LF4020000 .249
Adam Melhuse, C4010003 .258
Chris Singleton, CF3000103 .250
Totals354943418 
Batting
3B - Mark Ellis (5, R. Bell)
HR - Jose Guillen (29, R. Bell)
SF - Erubiel Durazo (5)
RBI - Erubiel Durazo (68), Eric Chavez (83), Jose Guillen 2 (79)
2-OUT RBI - Eric Chavez (32), Jose Guillen (33)
SB - Mark Ellis (5, 2nd base off Harper/Laforest)
Team LOB - 9
Fielding
DP - Tejada-Hatteberg, Ellis-Tejada-Hatteberg, Ellis-Tejada
Rich Harden (L,4-4) 3.2855120 4.80
Steve Sparks 2.1211110 4.76
Ricardo Rincon 0.1111100 3.60
Chad Harville 0.2000000 3.86
Michael Neu 1000200 3.38
WP - Rich Harden (6)
Pitches-Strikes - Rich Harden 79-50, Steve Sparks 33-20, Ricardo Rincon 8-4, Chad Harville 4-2, Michael Neu 17-7
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Rich Harden 4-4, Steve Sparks 3-3, Ricardo Rincon 1-0, Chad Harville 1-0, Michael Neu 1-1
Batters Faced - Rich Harden 19, Steve Sparks 10, Ricardo Rincon 3, Chad Harville 1, Michael Neu 4
Carl Crawford, LF5132002 .284
Rocco Baldelli, CF3110103 .296
Aubrey Huff, RF4111001 .315
Travis Lee, 1B4110002 .277
Al Martin, DH3011021 .250
   a- Terry Shumpert, PH-DH0000100 .200
Julio Lugo, SS4110013 .263
Marlon Anderson, 2B3220101 .267
Pete LaForest, C3012102 .188
    Antonio Perez, PR0000000 .250
    Toby Hall, C0000000 .253
Damian Rolls, 3B3000104 .260
Totals3271165319 
a-walked for Martin in the 7th
Batting
2B - Aubrey Huff (46, Rincon), Al Martin (11, Harden), Marlon Anderson (23, Harden), Pete LaForest (1, Harden)
RBI - Carl Crawford 2 (44), Aubrey Huff (92), Al Martin (21), Pete LaForest 2 (3)
2-OUT RBI - Carl Crawford 2 (23), Al Martin (13), Pete LaForest 2 (3)
SB - Carl Crawford (47, 2nd base off Harden/Melhuse), Aubrey Huff (2, off Rincon/Melhuse), Julio Lugo (12, 2nd base off Sparks/Melhuse)
Team LOB - 6
Rob Bell (W,4-3) 6633211 5.38
Travis Harper (H,14) 2211130 3.51
Lance Carter (S,23) 1100000 4.42
HBP - Guillen (by Rob Bell)
Pitches-Strikes - Rob Bell 105-68, Travis Harper 34-23, Lance Carter 12-9
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Rob Bell 9-8, Travis Harper 2-1
Batters Faced - Rob Bell 27, Travis Harper 9, Lance Carter 4
Attendance - 10738
Game Time - 2:45
Temperature - 70
Umpires - Home - Hunter Wendelstedt, First Base - Larry Young, Second Base - Mike Everitt, Third Base - Jim Wolf
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