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Crawford's walk-off homer lifts Devil Rays over Blue Jays

Jul 31, 2007 - 3:52 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Carl Crawford wasn't even supposed to play. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays are glad he did.

Crawford belted a walk-off homer to snap an 11th-inning tie as the Devil Rays escaped with an exciting 5-4 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night.

Jonny Gomes and B.J. Upton also homered for the Devil Rays, who picked up their second straight win after an eight-game losing streak.

Battling a wrist injury, Crawford did not start but pinch ran for Gomes in the ninth inning and ended up scoring the tying run before blasting the game-winning shot on a 3-2 pitch from reliever Brian Wolfe (2-1) in the 11th.

"It felt good on that 3-2 swing," Crawford said. "Hitting a home run was nowhere in my mind. I was trying to get a walk. If it was close, I knew I had to swing. I never hit a home run that way.

"I was as surprised as (anyone). I felt sore, I didn't think I would hit today."

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons wished Crawford stayed on the bench.

"Crawford pretty much hurt us all year," Gibbons said. "He's the last guy you would want to see up there in that situation. He can beat you in so many ways, that's why he is one of the best in the league."

Scott Dohmann (1-0) stranded the go-ahead run at third in the top of the frame to pick up the victory.

"The bullpen did a great job," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "(Grant) Balfour really picked us up there. Great job by (Al) Reyes. Dohmann hung tough at the end."

Blue Jays closer Jeremy Accardo blew a save chance in ninth, allowing a two-out, pinch-hit single to Josh Wilson, plating Crawford from third to tie the game 4-4. The righthander spoiled another stellar performance by starter Dustin McGowan.

"Once Crawford steals second, it puts my back against the wall to make pitches," Accardo said.

McGowan, who lost his first four outings this season, has turned it around. On Monday, he limited the Devil Rays to only two runs and four hits, while striking out four and walking three.

He has allowed no more than three runs and has tossed at least six innings in 10 of his last 13 outings, including carrying a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies on June 24.

Devil Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine allowed four runs and six hits while walking and striking out three in 6 2/3 frames.

He was relieved by Dan Wheeler, who was making his first appearance since being traded from Houston for designated hitter Ty Wigginton on Saturday. However, Wheeler's return to Tampa Bay, where he played from 1999-2001, did not go as planned.

Wheeler entered in the top of the seventh with two outs and runners on first and second. Reed Johnson greeted Wheeler with an RBI single, increasing Toronto's lead to 4-2.

Upton's solo home run in the eighth cut the Devil Rays' deficit to 4-3.

In the first, Toronto's Alex Rios tripled in Lyle Overbay and Troy Glaus followed with an RBI single. The Devil Rays cut the margin in half in the third when Ben Zobrist scored on McGowan's wild pitch.

Toronto answered back in the fourth on Vernon Wells' sacrifice fly.

In the fifth, Gomes hit his 11th homer of the season to pull Tampa Bay within one, 3-2.

Gomes' home run went an estimated 465 feet, the seventh-longest homer in Tropicana Field history.

Rios had two hits, including an RBI triple for Toronto, which fell to 7-4 in its past 11 contests and failed to move a game above .500 for only the second time since June 28.

Gibbons was ejected by third base umpire Tim Welke in the eighth inning for arguing a check-swing call. It was Gibbons' fifth ejection this season.

"We weren't in control, we had plenty of chances and we left too many guys on base," Gibbons said.