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Rays finish sweep of Royals, 4-3

The Associated Press

Rays catcher Michel Hernandez and J.P. Howell celebrate their 4-3 win over Kansas City on Sunday.

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 19, 2009

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's significant enough that the Rays moved to 10 games over .500 for the first time this year on Sunday and picked up two games on the first-place Red Sox during the weekend.

But maybe their most important accomplishment in beating the Royals 4-3 to complete a three-game sweep at Kauffman Stadium was to remind themselves they can scratch out tough comeback wins.

They came from behind in all three, scoring the winning run in the eighth inning each time. Evan Longoria had a two-run homer Friday, Willy Aybar an RBI double Saturday and Gabe Gross drew a bases-loaded walk Sunday.

"Now that's getting back to being a little more like us," said Gross, who also had an RBI double in the seventh inning Sunday. "We had starting pitching that kept us in every game, and our bullpen came in and didn't allow anything. It seems like we did that 94 or 95 times last year. To start the second half that way is encouraging."

Surely it's encouraging that the Rays (51-41) have started the second half and a difficult 10-game road trip at 3-0. They've closed to within 4 1/2 games of the Red Sox and to within four games of their record at this point last year (55-37).

They did so by outlasting the opposition's starting pitching, finding a way to score, and slamming the door when they got ahead.

"That's a really good way for your team to think - that if you keep it close, you can win it late," Manager Joe Maddon said. "It's great to be able to think those thoughts in a close game, and I believe that's become part of our culture, no matter who we're playing."

While big hits provided the winning margins Friday and Saturday, the Rays clawed for Sunday's win. They fought back from a 3-1 deficit with one run in the sixth and one in the seventh against starter Luke Hochevar, a sinkerballer who was 5-1 since June 6 and recorded a career-high nine strikeouts.

Then, in the decisive eighth inning, Carl Crawford singled off Jamey Wright (0-3) with one out. The threat of Crawford stealing induced Wright to make an errant pickoff attempt to first, and Crawford went all the way to third.

John Bale issued an intentional walk to Evan Longoria, and Carlos Pena followed with a single through the hole at second base to score Crawford and tie the game at 3.

After Ben Zobrist walked to load the bases, Roman Colon came on and struck out Pat Burrell, who was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. But Gross followed and worked the count after falling behind 0-2.

He barely laid off a close pitch for ball three, fouled off the next pitch and drew the bases-loaded walk for the winning run, scored by Longoria.

"The one I hung up on was either a very short slider or a cutter; I'm going to go with slider," Gross said of the third ball. "But it was a good pitch that just barely missed. A lot of times you're at the mercy of an umpire with the way he sees it, and he saw it my way that time."

As Scott Kazmir did Saturday, starter Matt Garza kept his team in the game. He walked in a run in the second and walked the bases loaded with two out in the fifth before giving up a two-run single to Alberto Callaspo. But the sum damage was three runs in five innings.

The bullpen took care of the rest, with Grant Balfour (4-1) inducing a bases-loaded double-play grounder from Yuniesky Betancourt in the seventh to end the Royals' most serious late-game threat, and J.P. Howell getting his third save in as many days.

"To come away with one where we literally just didn't quit - we just kept putting the ball in play - I think that's nice," Gross said. "If we can get a second half full of those, we could be dangerous."

Reporter Tony Fabrizio can be reached at (813) 259-7994.

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