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Burrell's homer wins suspended game for Rays

Apr 18, 2010 - 1:12 AM BOSTON(AP) -- Pat Burrell now has one win for the Tampa Bay Rays and one against them in suspended games.

Burrell hit a two-run homer with two out in the 12th inning Saturday to lift the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox in the completion of the suspended game from a night earlier.

In the biggest game in Rays history, the deciding game of the 2008 World Series, it was Burrell - then a member of the Philadelphia Phillies - who started the game-winning rally with a double off the center-field wall after play resumed in Game 5 following a nearly 50-hour suspension of the game due to rain.

"The irony of it," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "I guess he's good at that play."

It was the fourth straight win for the Rays, who escaped a bases-loaded, none out jam in the 11th.

Lance Cormier (2-0) worked three innings of two-hit relief for the win.

Rafael Soriano got the final three outs for his third save.

Burrell homered off Manny Delcarmen (0-1). Evan Longoria walked leading off before the next two hitters flied out. Burrell then sent a drive over the left-field wall.

Before the game was halted late Friday night because of rain, the Rays scored in the third on Ben Zobrist's RBI single and the Red Sox tied it in the fifth on Jason Varitek's third homer - and third hit - of the season.

With heavy rain falling and two outs in the top of the ninth, Carlos Pena walked against Jonathan Papelbon and stole second. But B.J. Upton struck out swinging. Then the grounds crew rolled the tarp onto the already soaked field, ending play for the night.

"It's similar to the circumstances in Philadelphia," Maddon said in his office before play resumed. "We're stuck in a suspended game."

On Saturday, Boston failed to score in the 11th after J.D. Drew and Dustin Pedroia singled and Longoria booted Kevin Youkilis' grounder for an error, loading the bases.

"We had a great opportunity," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "We couldn't get a better opportunity."

Maddon brought right fielder Zobrist into the middle of the diamond for five infielders before David Ortiz grounded into a force when first baseman Pena fired home, cutting down Drew. Adrian Beltre then grounded to Longoria, who stepped on third and threw to first, ending the inning.

"I was very pumped," Cormier said. "It took a little bit to sink in what happened."

Ortiz nearly ended the unique game when he hit a long drive foul to right leading off the bottom of the ninth against Cormier.

Daniel Bard worked two hitless innings in relief of Jonathan Papelbon, who was pitching when the game was stopped Friday night.

But Francona had to replace his closer because Papelbon's wife, Ashley, gave birth to the couple's first child - an 8-pound, 8-ounce boy they named Gunner Robert - earlier Saturday.

Boston starter Josh Beckett, allowed an unearned run with four hits, one walk and eight strikeouts in seven innings.

Tampa Bay starter Wade Davis gave up one run on two hits with four strikeouts and four walks in five innings.

NOTES: Many Rays players were walking around their clubhouse talking about the cold before play resumed. It was 40 degrees. ... Boston CF Jacoby Ellsbury, who bruised his ribs in a collision with 3B Beltre last Sunday in Kansas City, called "today the best progression" after hit played catch and took 25 swings. He's hopeful to be back in the lineup midweek.