Tampa Bay Pounds Three Homers in The Seventh, Bests Cleveland 8-4

The Tampa Bay Rays finally broke out of their losing streak with the Cleveland Indians, winning 8-4. The long ball played a large role in stopping the 0-5 skid they’ve claimed this year as a record against the Indians.

All three of their home runs came in the seventh inning. The first two came at the hands of Rafael Betancourt. He gave up a total of three runs in two-thirds of an inning. Evan Longoria spanked a two run shot after Carlos Pena walked. Cliff Floyd hit his over the right field fence on a 2-1 offering. Juan Rincon relieved, surrendering the third homer of the inning to Dioner Navarro.

The home-runs put the Rays up 8-3, squelching any thought of a Tribe comeback.

Longoria’s home run set the rookie homer mark for the club. It was his 22^nd of the season.

Fausto Carmona only lasted four in this one, giving up four runs on three hits, striking out four and walking five. With a tight strike zone on the lower half of the plate, Carmona could not catch a break, and the five walks were his albatross on this particular evening.

The Indians and Rays each scored a run in the first, Cleveland on three singles by David Dellucci, Kelly Shoppach, and Shin-Soo Choo, scoring Dellucci; the Rays on an Akinon Iwamura triple, and a Pena sac-fly.

In the third, the Indians would go up 3-1.  With one out, Shoppach walked, and Jhonny Peralta delivered his 18^th home-run of the season and his 62^nd RBI, continuing his hitting-hot streak. 

Carmona’s lack of command led to a three-run fourth for the Rays. After walking the first two batters of the inning, Carmona struck out Hinske. Floyd grounded out, but moved up both runners. 

With two out, Navarro delivered a two-single, scoring both the earlier walks. Gabe Gross, then hit a triple, plating Navarro and getting his 23^rdRBI of the season. Carmona issued another free pass prior to an Iwamura groundout that ended Fausto’s night.

After the three homer outburst in the seventh by Tampa and an 8-3 lead, the Indians did muster one more run in the eighth off an Andy Marte double and a Grady Sizemore RBI single.

That capped the scoring for both teams at 8-4. 

With the score 4-3 Tampa Bay, the Indians had numerous chances to tie and/or go ahead, but could not deliver on either occasion. 

In the top of the sixth, the Indians had the bases loaded with two out. Ben Francisco came in to pinch hit for Dellucci, since Dellucci would have been a lefty-lefty matchup against Ray’s pitcher Howell. Francisco drove one deep to left that appeared to be a grand slam at first glance, but was actually a running over-the-shoulder catch made by center fielder B.J. Upton. 

In the top of the seventh, the Indians had runners on the first and third with nobody out after a Shoppach walk and a Peralta single. They could not push home a run, registering a strikeout and a pair of fly-outs to end that threat.

The Indians out hit Tampa Bay 12-10. Dellucci, Peralta, and Franklin Gutierrez had two hits each. Navarro led the way for the Rays with two hits and three RBI.

These two teams meet for the last time on Wednesday in an afternoon start. Jeremy Sowers (1-6, 5.82 ERA) has his work cut out for him going up against Scott Kazmir (8-5, 2.89 ERA). Game time is 12:10.