Home is where 1 Ray gets

One run on 13 hits - 12 of them singles - means a 5-1 loss to the Orioles.

By JOHN ROMANO

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 30, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- A brush fire shut down I-275 Monday afternoon, prompting several Devil Rays players to ask for simple directions home.

Try turning left at third base.

The Rays seemed unable to find an easy way home inside or outside Tropicana Field on Memorial Day, leaving 11 on base in a 5-1 loss to the Orioles before an announced 24,209.

"We didn't hit with men on base; that was basically the game," manager Larry Rothschild said. "Thirteen hits and one run? That means you're not hitting with men on base, and that's exactly what happened. We had chances; obviously, we just didn't get it done."

[Times photo: Jonathan Newton] Third baseman Vinny Castilla fields a grounder in his turn-back-the-clock uniform Sunday in St. Petersburg.

Wearing the uniform of the St. Petersburg Saints, a 1960s Florida State League team, the Rays turned back the clock to baseball's dead ball era.

Of their 13 hits, 12 were singles. Their only extra-base hit led to their only run when Russ Johnson led off the seventh with a double off the leftfield wall.

From a statistical standpoint, Tampa Bay's hitting performance was amazing. When no runners were in scoring position, the Rays hit a stout .429 (12-for-28). With runners in scoring position, they hit .091 (1-for-11).

Cleanup hitter Fred McGriff, by all rights the player who should hit best in the clutch, went 0-for-4 and left six runners on base. McGriff went in hitting .333 with runners in scoring position.

"You're not going to hit every day," Rothschild said. "You just have to live with some of the streaks."

Just as disturbing was Tampa Bay's inability to make something happen late in the game. Statistically, the Orioles have the worst bullpen in the American League, yet the Rays could not score on three relievers in the final three innings.

So once again the Rays failed to build on a rare victory. Tampa Bay has not had back-to-back victories since May 11-12.

"I thought we played a pretty solid ballgame," said catcher Mike DiFelice, who had a pair of singles. "We have to start somewhere, and maybe this is it. We won (Sunday), and we played a pretty good game today. We just didn't win."

Starting pitcher Steve Trachsel ran into problems early, which is becoming something of a trend. In three of his past four starts, Trachsel has given up four or more runs in either the first or second inning.

Last game it was the first inning; this time it was the second. Baltimore put its first three hitters on board with two singles and a McGriff error for one. B.J. Surhoff then hit a three-run homer, and the Rays were done.

At least Trachsel recovered and gave the Rays bullpen a break by pitching into the eighth inning.

"I've shown this year that if I have a bad inning, I'll still keep us in the ballgame," Trachsel said.

Rothschild took his best shot at victory in the eighth when pinch-hitter Bubba Trammell and DiFelice reached on singles. With two out, Rothschild sent Greg Vaughn in to pinch-hit.

Vaughn had not played in three days because of a hamstring pull but has been Tampa Bay's most clutch performer. Facing reliever Buddy Groom, he went down swinging.

"You take your shot there," Rothschild said. "If we can get the game close, we have a chance to win it in the ninth. I thought (Vaughn) had some good swings; he just didn't get a pitch he could hit."

The loss was more frustrating than usual because the Rays had held out hope that their offensive explosion in a 14-4 victory against the Mariners on Sunday might lead to a roll.

Apparently, fans felt the same way. Monday's crowd was the largest weekday turnout since the home opener April7.

Though the way things have gone, the best way to watch the Rays is from afar. It seems the bigger the home crowd, the more likely the Rays are to lose. They have had eight crowds of 20,000-plus and lost seven times. With less than 20,000, they are 6-8.

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