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Aybar homers twice as Rays win in Baldelli return

Aug 11, 2008 - 1:07 AM By Paul Lowenberg PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Willy Aybar homered twice and drove in four runs and Shawn Riggans had a three-run homer to help Edwin Jackson earn his fourth consecutive win as the Tampa Bay Rays routed the Seattle Mariners, 11-3, Sunday afternoon.

The Rays' Rocco Baldelli came off the 60-day disabled list earlier in the day and made his first big league appearance since May 15, 2007, singling in a run in the third that gave the Rays a 4-1 lead. Baldelli had been sidelined with a mitochondrial disorder since spring training.

"I don't know if I was excited or what, but it was fun and it was a happy day for me, and I think for a lot of people - my family and friends and everyone," said Baldelli, who appeared in just 35 games for the Rays last year before going on the disabled list. "There were some scary times, but all of that is behind me now, hopefully."

Baldelli was activated when Carl Crawford went on the 15-day disabled list with an injury to the middle finger on his right hand suffered while batting in Saturday's 11-inning, 8-7 victory over the Mariners.

The win was the 71st of the year for Tampa Bay (71-46), marking a franchise high, and gave the club a 4 1/2-game lead over the Boston Red Sox (67-51) in the battle for first place in the American League East. Tampa Bay has won 10 of its last 12 games.

Jackson (9-7), who had shut out the Mariners on just two hits in eight innings in his only other start against them on April 18, limited Seattle to seven hits and one run in seven innings. The 24-year-old righthander struck out two and walked two.

"It always starts with pitching for me," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "He (Jackson) gave up runners along the way, but he got out of jams. His composure is improved. The ability to stay out of the big inning is huge."

The first homer by Aybar, who was batting just .141 in his previous 20 games, staked the Rays to a 3-0 lead in the second. His second blast, a solo shot, came off reliever Jake Woods in the seventh. It was the first multi-homer game of his career.

Riggans' homer, the fifth of the year by the seldom-used reserve catcher, came off starter R.A. Dickey (3-7) and gave the Rays an 8-1 advantage in the fifth.

"I think I swung and missed five times, so I figured the odds were in my favor that one of those balls was going to hit my bat," said Riggans, who has played in only 18 of the last 86 games.

"Willy got things going and Riggans kept driving in runs," Maddon said. "Willy just comes ready to play every day and I appreciate that. Riggans keeps coming through with runners in scoring position."

Dickey lasted five innings, allowing eight runs and eight hits while walking four and striking out six, and dropped to 0-5 for his career at Safeco Field.

"I had a swing-and-miss knuckleball today," said Dickey after one of his poorest outings of the season. "I just wasn't able to get ahead as much as I would have liked with it. Two three-run home runs to the eight and nine guys, that tells the story. A lot of times they pop those up."

Jose Lopez, who left the game in the fourth inning in favor of pinch hitter Tug Hulett, trimmed the lead to 3-1 with his 10th home run leading off the second.

B.J. Upton singled home Akinori Iwamura, who had walked, stolen second and advanced to third on Lopez's fielding error, to make it 5-1. The error may have been a reason Lopez was pulled from the contest, but Seattle manager Jim Riggleman would not discuss it after the game.

"I don't think I really want to address that right now," Riggleman said. "Obviously when you take a regular out in the middle of a game, it's going to raise questions, but I haven't talked to Jose yet. After I talk to him, I'll find the right words to explain it."

Mariners rookie catcher Jeff Clement had a particularly rough day, tying a club record with three passed balls as well as committing an error and grounding into a double play.

The Rays played without star rookie third baseman Evan Longoria, who missed his third consecutive game with an injured wrist. He is listed as day-to-day.