Cody Ross helped the Boston Red Sox rebound from a frustrating loss.

Ross homered and drove in four runs, Felix Doubront won his third consecutive start and the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-3, on Thursday night.

“I was going after this game tonight,” Boston manager Bobby Valentine said. “The guys really wanted this game, and I was just going to do everything we could to win it. Just frustration (from Wednesday’s loss), and we wanted to get back into the winning ways.”

The Red Sox were beaten, 2-1, on Wednesday. The Rays’ go-ahead run scored when Ross, in right field, had problems with the Tropicana Field roof and had to backpedal to catch Luke Scott’s shallow sacrifice fly.

Ross extended Boston’s lead to 5-2 Thursday on a two-run single off reliever Wade Davis with two outs in the eighth.

“Cody was big,” Valentine said. “Cody will give you everything he has, and it’s enough for me.”

Doubront (4-1) allowed two runs and six hits over 52/3 innings. The left-hander was hit on the ear by a ball during batting practice Tuesday and cleared one day later to make his scheduled start.

Matt Moore (1-4) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings for Tampa Bay, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.

“I thought he finished really strong,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. “That’s definitely a game to build off. He definitely pitched well enough to win. Confidence is a big thing. I know he’s going to sleep better. Despite the loss, he’s going to feel better about himself. That’s just a right step in the right direction.”

Moore retired his last 10 batters. He struck out eight and walked one.

Alfredo Aceves, the fifth Boston reliever, got four outs for his eighth save. He allowed B.J Upton’s RBI single with two outs in the eighth.

After falling behind in the count 0-2, Ross worked a bases-loaded walk off Moore to put the Red Sox up 1-0 in the first. Moore avoided further damage by striking out Daniel Nava to end the inning.

Boston went ahead 2-0 on Marlon Byrd’s second-inning homer. Ross made it 3-0 with his seventh homer, on an 0-2 pitch with two outs in the third.

Jeff Keppinger got the Rays within 3-1 on an RBI single in the third. Upton reached base with two outs when Kelly Shoppach was charged with catcher’s interference and went to second when Luke Scott was hit by a pitch.

Rich Thompson, who has played in 1,388 minor league games, cut the Tampa Bay deficit to 3-2 with his first big league hit, a run-scoring single in the fourth. Thompson, acquired in a trade with Philadelphia on Wednesday, also stole second and third after his hit.

The Rays loaded the bases later in the fourth with two outs, but Scott hit a hard liner that was caught by first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

“We always have pretty good series against the Rays,” Boston shortstop Mike Aviles said. “The fact they won (Wednesday) in a close game, and another close game today, it’s definitely good to get that win. Bobby did the right thing mixing and matching later in the game.”

Aviles was ejected in the seventh by plate umpire Dan Bellino for arguing after striking out. It was his first career ejection.

“Guys had complaints tonight and I was with them,” Valentine said. “We’ve got to fight through it, that’s for sure. We’re trying our hardest, and I think they’re trying their hardest, too.”

Tampa Bay second baseman Will Rhymes was not in the lineup a night after being hit by a pitch in the right arm, fainting after walking to first base and having to be driven off the field on a cart. Maddon said Rhymes, who is day to day with a bruised right forearm, was feeling better and wanted to take batting practice but the team trainer wouldn’t allow it.

Around the bases

Tampa Bay senior adviser Don Zimmer returned to Tropicana Field for a game for the first time since the opening weekend of the season against the New York Yankees. The 81-year-old ex-Red Sox and Cubs manager has been undergoing dialysis for kidney problems. … Valentine said DH David Ortiz will play first base and Gonzalez will move to right field for at least one game of this weekend’s interleague series at Philadelphia. … Tampa Bay 3B Evan Longoria (partial tear left hamstring) took grounders and continues taking batting practice.

ST. PETERSBURG — A night after their five-game winning streak was stopped, the Boston Red Sox regained their mid-May momentum, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 at Tropicana Field on Thursday. Cody Ross had a bases-loaded walk, solo home run and two-run single, and Marlon Byrd hit his first home run for Boston, helping the Red Sox gain a split in the two-game series. Felix Doubront (4-1) won his third consecutive start, allowing two runs on six hits over 5 2/3 innings. The Rays lost for the first time in five games and only the fourth this year at home. They made it interesting in the eighth, pulling to 5-3 on B.J. Upton’s RBI single and getting two runners in scoring position before Alfredo Aceves got Luke Scott to ground out to end the threat. Matt Moore (1-4), the Rays’ touted 22-year-old rookie, struggled in the early innings before settling in. He retired the side in his final three frames before leaving after six innings with his team trailing 3-2. Balls-and-strikes calls were an issue for the Red Sox for a second consecutive night. Adrian Gonzalez complained after Boston’s 2-1 loss Wednesday that it was hard to have “a professional at-bat” with the umpiring, and Thursday, shortstop and leadoff man Mike Aviles received his first career ejection in the seventh inning for arguing a two-out, third strike call by Dan Bellino. Righty reliever Burke Badenhop struck out the side in that frame, also getting Byrd and Kelly Shoppach. The Rays scored single runs in the third and fourth against Doubront after Boston took a 3-0 lead and threatened again in the sixth, when Ben Zobrist singled with two out and Upton doubled to put runners at first and third. Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine took the ball from Doubront, and lefty Rich Hill came on and got Scott to fly out to left. Ross’s two-run single off Wade Davis in the eighth broke the game open. The Red Sox loaded the bases and scored one run in the first against Moore, the touted rookie who has struggled with his location and high pitch counts. Aviles and David Ortiz singled, and Gonzalez, who had predicted to the Boston media he would hit a home run Thursday night, took a first-pitch fastball to the hip area. After Moore struck out Will Middlebrooks for the second out, Ross took a close 2-2 pitch off the outside corner for a ball, fouled off a couple of pitches, and drew an RBI walk. By the time Moore struck out Daniel Nave for the third out, he’d thrown 33 pitches. Byrd’s led off with a home run in the second and Ross’ two-out solo home run in the third put Boston ahead 3-0. Byrd, acquired from the Chicago Cubs last month, homered for the first time for his new team. Ross, who had homers in back-to-back games against Tampa Bay in April, hit his seventh of the year. The Rays punched back with one run each in the third and the fourth innings. Jeff Keppinger’s line-drive single to left scored B.J. Upton after a two-out rally began with a catcher’s interference call against Shoppach. Then, in the fourth, Rich Thompson’s two-out single up the middle scored Sean Rodriguez to pull the Rays to 3-2. Thompson was making his first major league start, at age 33 and a day after the Rays acquired him from the Phillies. His only previous major league at-bat had come in 2004 for Kansas City, when he hit into a double play against catcher Tim Laker, who was pitching in a mop-up role. Thompson wasn’t done, either. He followed his RBI single by stealing second and third base before the Rays left the bases loaded when Scott hit a hard line drive to first baseman Gonzalez. NOTES: Rays infielder Will Rhymes (bruised right forearm) was not in the starting lineup after getting hit by a pitch and passing out at first base Wednesday night, but he said he could take the field as soon as Friday. He said watching a replay of the incident was “kind of tough” and that he hadn’t realized “I was out like that.” … Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis (lower back strain), who began a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday, will play his second game Friday (and first in the field). Right-handed pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka (right elbow surgery) made his fifth minor league rehab start for Pawtucket. … The Rays are intrigued by newly acquired Thompson’s 442 minor league stolen bases, including an International League-leading 48 last year. “He’s been able to maintain his speed over time, and that’s a big part of why he’s still attractive,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. … Ortiz will likely play at least one game at first base in the weekend interleague series at Philadelphia, manager Bobby Valentine said. Gonzalez would move to right field. … Rays third baseman Evan Longoria (partial hamstring tear) worked on his hand-eye coordination before the game by taking grounders from his knees. … The Rays still haven’t announced who’ll pitch for injured Jeff Niemann on Saturday against Atlanta, but it will likely be Alex Cobb or Chris Archer from Triple-A Durham.

DETROIT — Miguel Cabrera doubled and scored on Prince Fielder’s single, part of a snowy eighth-inning rally that gave the Detroit Tigers a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.

After Fielder’s tiebreaking single, a light snow shower passed briefly over Comerica Park. Jhonny Peralta added a sacrifice fly later in the inning, and Gerald Laird’s RBI single gave the Tigers a three-run lead. Phil Coke (1-0) pitched the eighth, and Jose Valverde finished for his first save of the season.

Valverde blew a save for the first time since 2010 in Thursday’s opener against Boston.

Austin Jackson homered for Detroit, which is the AL’s last unbeaten team after handing the Rays their first defeat.

Rick Porcello allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings for the Tigers in a game that began amid snow flurries with the temperature in the 40s. Porcello struck out four and walked one.

Tampa Bay’s Matt Moore allowed two runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. He walked five – one intentionally – and struck out four in his second career regular-season start. The 22-year-old also started a playoff game last year, not long after making his debut.

The Rays intentionally walked Cabrera in the fifth to load the bases for Fielder, and the move worked when he lifted a routine fly to left that ended the inning. With first base open in the eighth, Tampa Bay chose to pitch to Fielder. He singled up the middle off Jake McGee (0-1), and Cabrera lumbered around to score for a 3-2 lead.

Tampa Bay had gone ahead 2-1 in the seventh on an RBI infield single by Desmond Jennings, but Jackson homered in the bottom half off Moore.

Detroit has won its first four games – three in its final at-bat. The Rays lost for the first time after a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees. It was their first regular-season loss in nine games. They won their last five of 2011 to snatch a surprising playoff berth.

Tampa Bay opened the scoring in the third when Evan Longoria drew a bases-loaded walk. Detroit tied it in the bottom half when Moore’s wild pitch enabled Jackson to score.

NOTES: Tampa Bay OF Luke Scott missed the game and is day to day with a tight left hamstring. … Tigers manager Jim Leyland said INF Brandon Inge (strained left groin) was heading to Triple-A Toledo for a rehabilitation assignment Tuesday night. … Leyland also said LHP Adam Wilk will pitch Saturday against the White Sox in Chicago. Detroit had a vacancy in its rotation after Doug Fister went on the DL with a left side strain. … There also was a light snow shower in the fifth inning. … Tampa Bay used a starting pitcher age 30 or younger for a 900th consecutive game, a streak dating to 2006.

Earlier on HuffPost:

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The Tampa Bay Rays have some history on their side entering Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers.

Since the current three-tiered playoff format debuted in 1995, teams that have split the first two ALDS games on the road are 14-9.

The Rays have won 20 of their last 26 home games after going 27-28 at Tropicana Field through Aug. 7. The Rays and Rangers split six games at the Trop this season.

TODAY’S GAME: Game 3, which is sold out, is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. today. Gates open at 2:30 p.m. Saxophonist B.K. Jackson, a 19-year-old Tampa native and a student at FAMU, will play The National Anthem. Jackson played the anthem during the Rays’ home-openers 2009 and ‘11, before Game 1 of the ‘08 ALDS and prior to all four Rays home games of the ‘08 American League Championship Series.

GOOD COMPANY, EVAN: Evan Longoria’s home run in Game 2 was his eighth home run in 23 postseason games, joining Mickey Mantle, Albert Pujols and Duke Snider, who also hit their eighth postseason home run in their 23rd game. Longoria is one of 10 players to hit eight home runs in 23 postseason games or sooner, with the fastest being Carlos Beltran, who needed just nine playoff games to hit eight home runs.

STREAK SNAPPERS: The Texas Rangers snapped the Rays’ streak of 31 consecutive wins when scoring five runs or more during their 8-6 win in Game 2. The last team to do that to the Rays was the Oakland Athletics, who beat Tampa Bay 7-5 on July 25.

TORONTO (AP)—Few people were certain whether B.J. Upton’s(notes) sixth-inning
drive landed fair or foul. Not even Upton himself knew for sure.

The next time up, he left little doubt.

After barely missing a home run earlier, Upton hit a three-run shot in the
seventh that broke open the game and sent the Tampa Bay Rays past the Toronto
Blue Jays 6-5 on Saturday.

“He’s got as much power as anybody, especially for being so skinny,” Rays
catcher Kelly Shoppach(notes) kidded. “When he gets into a ball, it can be very
impressive.”

Upton’s 18th homer put the Rays ahead 6-2, and Tampa Bay held on despite a
pair of late home runs by Toronto.

In Upton’s previous at-bat, he led off with a long fly to left field that
landed just a few feet foul. Upton and Rays manager Joe Maddon questioned the
call with home plate umpire and crew chief Tim Tschida.

“(Tschida) said, ‘I’ll talk to the boys,’ and I guess none of them were
absolutely certain, so they did the right thing,” Maddon said.

Upton wasn’t positive where his drive ended up, either.

“It looked fair from where I was, although it hooked very hard late,” he
said. “I don’t think it hurt to check it out.”

After huddling near the mound, three umpires left the field to review the
video. They returned two minutes later and confirmed the original call, leaving
the score at 2-all.

Upton reached the painful way when Shawn Camp’s(notes) next pitch hit him on the
leg. Sean Rodriguez(notes) singled and Kelly Shoppach tried to bunt the runners along.

But Camp (1-3) fielded the ball and threw to Brett Lawrie(notes) for a forceout,
and the third baseman’s throw across the diamond completed a double play. The
Blue Jays almost turned a triple play, too, but Rodriguez slid into third just
ahead of the return throw. Elliot Johnson(notes) followed with a go-ahead single.

Upton connected the next inning against Jesse Litsch(notes). The shot into the
second deck in left field scored Sam Fuld(notes) and Evan Longoria(notes) after they both
walked.

“In that situation I’m not trying to do too much, just take what he gives
me,” Upton said. “He left something out over the plate for me and I got
extended on it.”

Maddon was pleased with Upton’s powerful shot.

“I congratulated him on keeping that ball fair,” he said.

The Rays are an AL-best 19-9 since July 28, and haven’t given up hopes of
winning the wild card. The Rays are seven games behind the second-place Yankees
in the AL East.

“I keep saying that we’re very much in this race right now,” Upton said.
“We’ve just got to continue to try and win series. That’s all we can ask
ourselves. Hopefully (New York and Boston) hit a little rut and we can gain some
ground on them.”

Litsch, a converted starter who was working for the third time in four days,
denied feeling the effects of fatigue.

“I left the one ball up that Upton hit,” Litsch said.

Rodriguez and Johnson each had three hits for the Rays.

Jeff Niemann(notes) (9-5) won for the fifth time in six starts. He came in 0-2 with
an 8.36 ERA in his last three matchups with Toronto, failing to work more than
five innings in any of them.

Niemann reversed that trend, allowing three runs and five hits in 6 1-3
innings. He walked two and struck out six.

The right-hander improved to 8-1 with a 2.57 ERA in 12 starts since
returning from the disabled list on June 20 after missing 39 games with a
strained lower back.

“Not great but good,” Maddon said of Niemann. “He got through it. He
started out slowly but I thought he settled in pretty well. Then eventually, at
the end there, you could see he got tired.”

J.P. Howell(notes) replaced Niemann after J.P. Arencibia’s(notes) RBI grounder in the
seventh, ending Tampa Bay’s streak of 11 consecutive games in which its starter
worked at least seven innings.

Rays left-hander Jake McGee(notes) gave up a leadoff homer to Eric Thames(notes) in the
eighth, the ninth of the season for the rookie outfielder. McGee got two outs
before Juan Cruz(notes) came on and surrendered a solo homer to Edwin Encarnacion(notes), his
14th. Kelly Johnson(notes) followed with a walk but Brett Lawrie fouled out.

Joel Peralta(notes) finished for his second save in four chances.

NOTES: Rays closer Kyle Farnsworth(notes) (elbow) was unavailable but could pitch
Sunday, Maddon said. … Arencibia threw out three potential basestealers,
getting Upton at second in the second, Rodriguez at third in the fourth and
Johnson at second in the eighth. … Rays 1B Casey Kotchman(notes) was scratched with
flulike symptoms but came on as a defensive replacement in the seventh. …
Toronto OF Dewayne Wise(notes) made his debut in center after being claimed on waivers
from Florida. Blue Jays OF Colby Rasmus(notes) (right wrist) was placed on the 15-day
DL, retroactive to Aug. 24. … Blue Jays manager John Farrell (pneumonia)
missed his second straight game and remains day-to-day. Farrell came to his
office and was checked by team doctors before returning home to rest. Bench
coach Don Wakamatsu served as manager.

Updated Aug 23, 2011 3:15 AM ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)

Tampa Bay Rays center fielder B.J. Upton is day to day after running into the wall and straining his right shoulder.

Upton left Monday night’s game against Detroit in the eighth inning with the injury. He was hurt chasing Delmon Young’s double.

”I just kind of overextended the right arm,” Upton said. ”It mostly went numb and it started to hurt a little bit.”

Upton’s injury is not thought to be serious, but he is expected to sit out Tuesday’s game.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Aug. 21, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There was no doubt about where Johnny Damon’s last drive landed.

Damon lost a grand slam to a video review in the seventh inning, then hit a game-ending home run in the ninth that lifted the Rays over the Seattle Mariners 8-7 Sunday.

“It feels good,” Damon said. “It was a great team effort again.”

Damon connected for a leadoff shot in the ninth on the first pitch from Dan Cortes (0-2), sending his 11th homer of the season into the right-field seats.

“The first pitch I was going to look to drive something,” Damon said. “But after that I was going to think about bunting, maybe, and getting on base and set the table. Fortunately I hit it far enough.”

The Rays trailed 5-4 in the seventh when Damon launched a deep fly to right-center field. It was first ruled a home run, but the umpires changed the call to a three-run double after two-minute, 45-second video review.

TV relays showed the reversal was correct and that the ball hit off the top of the wall.

“They were right on with that call,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “Actually, we got the ball back and it had yellow paint on it.”

Damon also came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but the inning ended when catcher Josh Bard chased down a pitch that went to the backstop and threw the ball to Cortes, who tagged out Matt Joyce attempting to score from third.

After blowing an early four-run lead, Seattle tied it at 7 during the eighth when Wily Mo Pena hit a long two-run homer to center off James Shields.

“We were in position to win two out of the three games here and ended up losing both late,” Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. “We just have to keep plugging.”

Kyle Farnsworth (5-1) pitched a perfect ninth as the Rays won for the 10th time in 12 games.

“I had a good feeling about it,” Maddon said. “The resolve was there. The attitude was there. They were ready to roll.”

Casper Wells also homered for the Mariners, who have lost five in a row. Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a third-inning double.

Shields gave up seven runs and 12 hits over 7 1/3 innings. The right-hander had given up just two runs in 24 innings over his previous three starts at home.

Seattle starter Michael Pineda allowed two earned runs and six hits in six innings. The rookie had five strikeouts, giving him 148 over 147 innings this season.

Wells hit a two-run shot, helping Seattle go up 3-0 in the first. He has five homers over his last seven games.

Bard made it 4-0 on second-inning RBI grounder.

Joyce and John Jaso each had RBI singles that got Tampa Bay within 4-2 during the second. Jaso also had a run-scoring grounder in the seventh.

Seattle took a 5-2 lead in the fourth when Franklin Gutierrez drove in a run with a single. The Rays got the run back on Ben Zobrist’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly.

Notes

Tampa Bay RHP Jeff Niemann (8-4), who has won seven straight decisions, will face Detroit ace Justin Verlander (18-5) on Monday night. … Seattle SS Brendan Ryan, who returned from a sprained left shoulder joint this weekend, is expected to be in the starting lineup Monday. … Mariners INF Luis Rodriguez, hit in the right elbow by a pitch Saturday night, didn’t play. … Seattle LHP Jason Vargas (7-11) will pitch Monday against Cleveland RHP Fausto Carmona (6-12). … The Rays gave kids 14 and under a superhero action figure of LHP David Price and his French bulldog, Astro. Before a pregame on-field photo shoot, Price had to chase down Astro, who ran up a walkway to the clubhouse level. “I guess every dog has its day,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “Plus, it’s a pretty cool dog.”

“It feels good,” Damon said. “It was a great team effort, again.”

Damon connected for a leadoff shot in the ninth on the first pitch from Dan Cortes (0-2), sending his 11th homer of the season into the right-field seats.

“The first pitch I was going to look to drive something,” Damon said. “But after that I was going to think about bunting, maybe, and getting on base and set the table. Fortunately I hit it far enough.”

The Rays trailed 5-4 in the seventh when Damon launched a deep fly to right-center field. It was first ruled a home run, but the umpires changed the call to a three-run double after 2-minute, 45-second video review.

TV relays showed the reversal was correct and that the ball hit off the top of the wall.

“They were right on with that call,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “Actually, we got the ball back and it had yellow paint on it.”

Damon also came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but the inning ended when catcher Josh Bard chased down a pitch that went to the backstop and threw the ball to Cortes, who tagged out Matt Joyce attempting to score from third.

After blowing an early four-run lead, Seattle tied it at 7 during the eighth when Wily Mo Pena hit a long two-run homer to center off James Shields.

“We were in position to win two out of the three games here and ended up losing both late,” Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. “We just have to keep plugging.”

Kyle Farnsworth (5-1) pitched a perfect ninth as the Rays won for the 10th time in 12 games.

“I had a good feeling about it,” Maddon said. “The resolve was there. The attitude was there. They were ready to roll.”

Casper Wells also homered for the Mariners, who have lost five in a row. Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 20 games with a third-inning double.

Shields gave up seven runs and 12 hits over 7 1-3 innings. The right-hander had given up just two runs in 24 innings over his previous three starts at home.

Seattle starter Michael Pineda allowed two earned runs and six hits in six innings. The rookie had five strikeouts, giving him 148 over 147 innings this season.

Wells hit a two-run shot, helping Seattle go up 3-0 in the first. He has five homers over his last seven games.

Bard made it 4-0 on second-inning RBI grounder.

Joyce and John Jaso each had RBI singles that got Tampa Bay within 4-2 during the second. Jaso also had a run-scoring grounder in the seventh.

Seattle took a 5-2 lead in the fourth when Franklin Gutierrez drove in a run with a single. The Rays got the run back on Ben Zobrist’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly.

NOTES: Tampa Bay RHP Jeff Niemann (8-4), who has won seven straight decisions, will face Detroit ace Justin Verlander (18-5) on Monday night. … Seattle SS Brendan Ryan, who returned from a sprained left shoulder joint this weekend, is expected to be in the starting lineup Monday. … Mariners INF Luis Rodriguez, hit in the right elbow by a pitch Saturday night, didn’t play. … Seattle LHP Jason Vargas (7-11) will pitch Monday against Cleveland RHP Fausto Carmona (6-12). … The Rays gave kids 14 and under a superhero action figure of LHP David Price and his French bulldog, Astro. Before a pregame on-field photo shoot, Price had to chase down Astro, who ran up a walkway to the clubhouse level. “I guess every dog has its day,” Maddon said. “Plus, it’s a pretty cool dog.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

“The biggest play of the game was Johnny beating that ball out,” Rays center fielder B.J. Upton said. “That’s why we play the game the way we do.”

Hernandez (11-11) took a one-hitter in the eighth before the Rays’ put together the late rally. An out after pinch-hitter Sam Fuld lined an one-out, opposite-field single to left, Damon had a single before Longoria and Zobrist had consecutive RBI hits to put Tampa Bay ahead 3-2.

“That’s the one thing you can actually control in this game is hustle,” Damon said. “I’ve done it ever since I was a kid and I do it now, and it paid off. There’s been plenty of times this year when I missed it by a half step, but right there I showed the track wheels that I had back in the day.”

Seattle manager Eric Wedge felt Damon’s ball to third baseman Adam Kennedy should have resulted in an inning-ending out.

“It’s just a play that has to be made … Adam just took a little too much time getting it over there (the throw to first),” Wedge said. “Inning’s over, it’s a different ballgame.”

Kennedy, when making the play, didn’t feel like he took too long.

“I didn’t think so at the time, but he was getting down the line pretty well,” Kennedy said.

Juan Cruz (5-0) got two outs in the eighth for the win. Kyle Farnsworth pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.

Hernandez allowed three runs and six hits in eight innings. The 2010 AL Cy Young winner, who had nine strikeouts and three walks in his fourth complete games this season, felt like he had no-hit quality stuff.

“It was going to be something special,” Hernandez said. “Baseball is like that. It was a tough loss. Can’t do nothing about it.”

Kyle Seager put the Mariners up 2-1 with his first major league homer, a solo shot off Wade Davis leading off the seventh.

Trayvon Robinson doubled in the third and later scored from third to make it 1-0 when Rays’ shortstop Sean Rodriguez was charged with an error for an errant throw to the plate on Franklin Gutierrez’s grounder.

Davis gave up two runs and seven hits over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

Hernandez appeared to land wrong on an 0-2 pitch to Casey Kotchman in the fifth, but the right-hander wound up recording a strikeout. B.J. Upton then hit a one-out grounder that got past the glove-hand side of Kennedy for the Rays’ first hit.

“Just a couple tough plays for me and I didn’t make any of them,” Kennedy said.

After Upton stole second and third and Matt Joyce drew a walk, John Jaso tied at 1 on a sacrifice bunt. Upton had been 1 for 22 against Hernandez before the hit.

“It was a Bugs Bunny changeup, just diving off the table,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said of Hernandez. “There’s a reason this guy won the Cy Young.”

Mariners first baseman Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a second-inning infield single.

Seattle outfielder Casper Wells, hit by a pitch in the nose Wednesday, went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts as the designated hitter. Mariners catcher Miguel Olivo, who missed one game after being hit in the chin by a foul ball Tuesday, had a single in four at-bats.

NOTES: Seattle placed INF Jack Wilson (bruised left heel) on the 15-day disabled list and activated SS Brendan Ryan (left shoulder) from the DL. … Tampa Bay activated Jaso (right oblique) from the 15-day DL. C Robinson Chirinos was optioned to Triple-A Durham. … Mariners 3B Chone Figgins (right hip flexor) took grounders before the game. “He’s still going to need some time,” Wedge said. …. Seattle 1B Justin Smoak (broken nose) is taking batting practice and will be reevaluated in about a week. … Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (10-8), Saturday’s scheduled starter, allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of last Saturday’s 9-2 loss to the New York Yankees. “The last start was pretty frustrating, disappointing,” Hellickson said. “One of those you try and forget about.” … Mariners LHP Charlie Furbush (3-4) will make his first career start against Tampa Bay Saturday.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  — Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist each had run-scoring singles with two outs during the eighth inning as the Tampa Bay Rays beat Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Friday night.

Hernandez (11-11) took a one-hitter in the eighth before the Rays’ put together the late rally. An out after pinch-hitter Sam Fuld lined an one-out, opposite-field single to left, Johnny Damon had an infield single before Longoria and Zobrist had consecutive RBI hits to put Tampa Bay ahead 3-2.

Juan Cruz (5-0) got two outs in the eighth for the win. Kyle Farnsworth pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.

Hernandez allowed three runs and six hits in eight innings. The 2010 AL Cy Young winner had nine strikeouts and two walks in his fourth complete games this season.

Kyle Seager put the Mariners up 2-1 with his first major league homer, a solo shot off Wade Davis leading off the seventh.

Trayvon Robinson doubled in the third and later scored from third to make it 1-0 when Rays’ shortstop Sean Rodriguez was charged with an error for an errant throw to the plate on Franklin Gutierrez’s grounder.

Davis gave up two runs and seven hits over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked two.

Hernandez appeared to land wrong on an 0-2 pitch to Casey Kotchman in the fifth, but the right-hander wound up recording a strikeout. B.J. Upton then hit a one-out grounder that got past the glove-hand side of third baseman Adam Kennedy for the Rays’ first hit.

After Upton stole second and third and Matt Joyce drew a walk, John Jaso tied at 1 on a sacrifice bunt. Upton had been 1 for 22 against Hernandez before the hit.

Mariners first baseman Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a second-inning infield single.

Seattle outfielder Casper Wells, hit by a pitch in the nose Wednesday, went 1 for 4 with three strikeouts as the designated hitter. Mariners catcher Miguel Olivo, who missed one game after being hit in the chin by a foul ball Tuesday, had a single in four at-bats.

Notes: Seattle placed INF Jack Wilson (bruised left heel) on the 15-day disabled list and activated SS Brendan Ryan (left shoulder) from the DL. … Tampa Bay activated Jaso (right oblique) from the 15-day DL. C Robinson Chirinos was optioned to Triple-A Durham. … Mariners 3B Chone Figgins (right hip flexor) took grounders before the game. “He’s still going to need some time,” manager Eric Wedge said. … Seattle 1B Justin Smoak (broken nose) is taking batting practice and will be reevaluated in about a week. … Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (10-8), Saturday’s scheduled starter, allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of last Saturday’s 9-2 loss to the New York Yankees. “The last start was pretty frustrating, disappointing,” Hellickson said. “One of those you try and forget about.” … Mariners LHP Charlie Furbush (3-4) will make his first career start against Tampa Bay Saturday.

–The Associated Press
 
 

Cobb (3-2) gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings. But the postgame talk centered on him going to St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg with team doctor Koco Eaton.

“He did not complain about anything throughout the course of the game,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. “I was advised about the problem during the game and now he’s being seen (by doctors). I really have no idea where this is going to go.”

The Rays are expected to update Cobb’s situation on Sunday.

McCarthy (5-5) helped Oakland win for just the eighth time in its last 38 games away from home. He struck out five before Fautino De Los Santos finished up with a hitless ninth.

“I don’t think our swings were that bad,” Tampa Bay designated hitter Johnny Damon said. “I think his cutter was where he wanted it to be all night. He’s been around the league for a while so he has an understanding of how to pitch.”

Oakland stole seven bases and Coco Crisp had a career-best four, giving the speedster 37 this season. DeJesus hit a pair of solo homers, while Jemile Weeks and Adam Rosales both had two RBIs.

Athletics manager Bob Melvin said Crisp hurt his right calf and might miss Sunday’s series finale.

Tampa Bay’s B.J. Upton grounded out in the second inning, ending a stretch of reaching base in seven consecutive plate appearances. Upton is one of seven players who share the team record of eight.

McCarthy retired 13 straight after Evan Longoria’s first-inning single before allowing consecutive singles to Robinson Chirinos and Sean Rodriguez to start the sixth. The right-hander was able to work out of the jam.

“You look at a game like that and you want to bemoan the hitting, but honestly it’s all about pitching,” Maddon said.

DeJesus homered and Rosales had an RBI grounder off Cobb as Oakland went up 2-0 in the second. DeJesus, who hadn’t hit a home run in his previous 42 games, also went deep in the ninth.

Crisp had a bunt single in the third, stole second and scored to make it 3-0 on Josh Willingham’s sacrifice fly.

Weeks extended the advantage to 4-0 on an RBI single during the fourth. Weeks drove in a run with a double and Rosales had a sacrifice fly in the eighth

Oakland took a 5-0 lead in the fifth when Crisp singled, stole both second and third and scored on Cliff Pennington’s sacrifice fly.

The A’s had dropped the first four games of a nine-game trip.

“It’s good for all of us,” McCarthy said. “We came out and played a very complete game. We needed to come out and have something where the whole team can come in and be happy with what we did tonight.”

Notes: The Rays have been shut out 11 times this season, including seven times at home. … Tampa Bay All-Star LHP David Price (9-10), Sunday’s scheduled starter, has allowed eight homers in his last six outings after giving up nine over his first 17 appearances. “I’m looking to go out there and set the tone early and give us a chance to win,” Price said. … Athletics RHP Trevor Cahill (9-10) enters his start Sunday 1-5 with a 6.13 ERA in his previous seven games.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays have a bigger concern than Alex Cobb’s second straight loss. The rookie right-hander experienced discomfort in his pitching hand that led to precautionary tests at the hospital.

Brandon McCarthy pitched five-hit ball for eight innings, David DeJesus homered twice and the Oakland Athletics earned a rare road victory by beating the Rays 8-0 on Saturday night.

Cobb (3-2) gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings. But the postgame talk centered on him going to St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg with team doctor Koco Eaton.

“He did not complain about anything throughout the course of the game,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. “I was advised about the problem during the game and now he’s being seen (by doctors). I really have no idea where this is going to go.”

The Rays are expected to update Cobb’s situation on Sunday.

McCarthy (5-5) helped Oakland win for just the eighth time in its last 38 games away from home. He struck out five before Fautino De Los Santos finished up with a hitless ninth.

“I don’t think our swings were that bad,” Tampa Bay designated hitter Johnny Damon said. “I think his cutter was where he wanted it to be all night. He’s been around the league for a while so he has an understanding of how to pitch.”

Oakland stole seven bases and Coco Crisp had a career-best four, giving the speedster 37 this season. DeJesus hit a pair of solo homers, while Jemile Weeks and Adam Rosales both had two RBIs.

Athletics manager Bob Melvin said Crisp hurt his right calf and might miss Sunday’s series finale.

Tampa Bay’s B.J. Upton grounded out in the second inning, ending a stretch of reaching base in seven consecutive plate appearances. Upton is one of seven players who share the team record of eight.

McCarthy retired 13 straight after Evan Longoria‘s first-inning single before allowing consecutive singles to Robinson Chirinos and Sean Rodriguez to start the sixth. The right-hander was able to work out of the jam.

“You look at a game like that and you want to bemoan the hitting, but honestly it’s all about pitching,” Maddon said.

DeJesus homered and Rosales had an RBI grounder off Cobb as Oakland went up 2-0 in the second. DeJesus, who hadn’t hit a home run in his previous 42 games, also went deep in the ninth.

Crisp had a bunt single in the third, stole second and scored to make it 3-0 on Josh Willingham’s sacrifice fly.

Weeks extended the advantage to 4-0 on an RBI single during the fourth. Weeks drove in a run with a double and Rosales had a sacrifice fly in the eighth

Oakland took a 5-0 lead in the fifth when Crisp singled, stole both second and third and scored on Cliff Pennington’s sacrifice fly.

The A’s had dropped the first four games of a nine-game trip.

“It’s good for all of us,” McCarthy said. “We came out and played a very complete game. We needed to come out and have something where the whole team can come in and be happy with what we did tonight.”

Notes: The Rays have been shut out 11 times this season, including seven times at home. … Tampa Bay All-Star LHP David Price (9-10), Sunday’s scheduled starter, has allowed eight homers in his last six outings after giving up nine over his first 17 appearances. “I’m looking to go out there and set the tone early and give us a chance to win,” Price said. … Athletics RHP Trevor Cahill (9-10) enters his start Sunday 1-5 with a 6.13 ERA in his previous seven games.