Tweet
Check out the part of this article that is in bold:
TAMPA BAY 4, SAN DIEGO 1
SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Fred McGriff moved a little closer to history and helped the Tampa Bay Devil Rays achieve another first.
McGriff tied Lou Gehrig for 21st place on the all-time home run list with a two-run shot in the sixth inning as the Devil Rays defeated the San Diego Padres , 4-1, for their team-record eighth consecutive win.
After managing just one hit through five innings against Adam Eaton , the Devil Rays went ahead for good when McGriff sent the righthander's 1-0 pitch into the right field seats at PETCO Park. It was McGriff's 493rd career homer and sparked Tampa Bay to consecutive series sweeps for the first time in its seven-year existence.
"(Manager Lou Piniella ) told me yesterday that I was playing, so I knew today was going to be a big day for me," McGriff said. "I took my bat to my room with me last night, because I knew today was going to be my only chance." :confused:
McGriff has homered in a major league-record 43 different ballparks, with Eaton becoming the 350th different pitcher against whom the former San Diego first baseman has homered off.
"This is a big yard," said McGriff, who flied out in his first two at-bats. "It's a beautiful stadium, but in the power alleys where you usually hit the ball, it's huge out there. You've got to really pull it."
"Freddy placed it right where it carries good," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "When he hit the ball, I didn't think it was going out, but he hit it in the right spot. That really was the difference in the game."
McGriff has a chance to add another venue to his resume when Tampa Bay travels to Arizona this weekend.
Tampa Bay has won 19 of its last 25 for the best stretch of at least 20 games in team history. It was preceded by a 3-19 skid that left them with the worst record in the major leagues.
"This was a good series for us," Piniella said. "We came in here and played good baseball against a good team. As long as we keep pitching respectably, that's really the secret. We're swinging the bats better and getting some timely hits."
"They played well," Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs said. "If they were in any division other than the East they could have a shot to win. They're a tough team. They pitched well this whole series, their bullpen was tough, and they had big hits at the right times."
Tampa Bay's Chad Gaudin (1-1) worked out of trouble all night and allowed one run and seven hits in five innings for his first career win as a starter. He struck out four and walked one before four relievers combined on four scoreless frames.
"It's a good feeling to get under your belt," Gaudin said. "Whenever your team is on a roll like that, you just want to mind your P's and Q's so you can keep it going."
Jorge Sosa worked around a hit and two walks in the sixth and Lance Carter got a pair of outs in the seventh before giving way to Jesus Colome , who retired all four batters he faced.
Danys Baez gave up a hit in the ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances.
Eaton (3-7) took the loss, despite allowing just two runs and two hits in six innings.
"You couldn't really get a much better pitching effort than what Adam did," Bochy said. "I didn't want to take him out."
The Padres committed three errors and lost for the ninth time in 12 home games. San Diego also stranded 11 runners Thursday and has left 45 on during its season-high five-game losing streak.
"That was a horrible game," Bochy said. "We didn't play good baseball. When you play like that, you're going to get beat. We didn't execute, it's been a problem for us this year. I still believe we'll come around."
Tampa Bay added a pair of insurance runs on Rocco Baldelli 's RBI single in the seventh and Toby Hall 's run-scoring double in the eighth.
© 2003 SportsTicker
TAMPA BAY 4, SAN DIEGO 1
SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Fred McGriff moved a little closer to history and helped the Tampa Bay Devil Rays achieve another first.
McGriff tied Lou Gehrig for 21st place on the all-time home run list with a two-run shot in the sixth inning as the Devil Rays defeated the San Diego Padres , 4-1, for their team-record eighth consecutive win.
After managing just one hit through five innings against Adam Eaton , the Devil Rays went ahead for good when McGriff sent the righthander's 1-0 pitch into the right field seats at PETCO Park. It was McGriff's 493rd career homer and sparked Tampa Bay to consecutive series sweeps for the first time in its seven-year existence.
"(Manager Lou Piniella ) told me yesterday that I was playing, so I knew today was going to be a big day for me," McGriff said. "I took my bat to my room with me last night, because I knew today was going to be my only chance." :confused:
McGriff has homered in a major league-record 43 different ballparks, with Eaton becoming the 350th different pitcher against whom the former San Diego first baseman has homered off.
"This is a big yard," said McGriff, who flied out in his first two at-bats. "It's a beautiful stadium, but in the power alleys where you usually hit the ball, it's huge out there. You've got to really pull it."
"Freddy placed it right where it carries good," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "When he hit the ball, I didn't think it was going out, but he hit it in the right spot. That really was the difference in the game."
McGriff has a chance to add another venue to his resume when Tampa Bay travels to Arizona this weekend.
Tampa Bay has won 19 of its last 25 for the best stretch of at least 20 games in team history. It was preceded by a 3-19 skid that left them with the worst record in the major leagues.
"This was a good series for us," Piniella said. "We came in here and played good baseball against a good team. As long as we keep pitching respectably, that's really the secret. We're swinging the bats better and getting some timely hits."
"They played well," Padres third baseman Sean Burroughs said. "If they were in any division other than the East they could have a shot to win. They're a tough team. They pitched well this whole series, their bullpen was tough, and they had big hits at the right times."
Tampa Bay's Chad Gaudin (1-1) worked out of trouble all night and allowed one run and seven hits in five innings for his first career win as a starter. He struck out four and walked one before four relievers combined on four scoreless frames.
"It's a good feeling to get under your belt," Gaudin said. "Whenever your team is on a roll like that, you just want to mind your P's and Q's so you can keep it going."
Jorge Sosa worked around a hit and two walks in the sixth and Lance Carter got a pair of outs in the seventh before giving way to Jesus Colome , who retired all four batters he faced.
Danys Baez gave up a hit in the ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances.
Eaton (3-7) took the loss, despite allowing just two runs and two hits in six innings.
"You couldn't really get a much better pitching effort than what Adam did," Bochy said. "I didn't want to take him out."
The Padres committed three errors and lost for the ninth time in 12 home games. San Diego also stranded 11 runners Thursday and has left 45 on during its season-high five-game losing streak.
"That was a horrible game," Bochy said. "We didn't play good baseball. When you play like that, you're going to get beat. We didn't execute, it's been a problem for us this year. I still believe we'll come around."
Tampa Bay added a pair of insurance runs on Rocco Baldelli 's RBI single in the seventh and Toby Hall 's run-scoring double in the eighth.
© 2003 SportsTicker