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Rays plate five in ninth, stun White Sox for first win

Apr 9, 2011 - 5:35 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - It took only one swing and one inning for the Tampa Bay Rays to right the ship.

Dan Johnson blasted a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth, capping a five- run rally the Rays used to grab their first win of the season, a 9-7 decision over the White Sox.

Before Friday, the Rays were 0-6, becoming just the second division champion to start a season with that record since division play began in 1969. They had also tied the 1905 Boston Americans for the worst start by a team that had the league's best record the previous season.

Before Friday, they had scored just eight runs and hadn't led in a single game. They were also the last winless team in baseball after Boston defeated the New York Yankees earlier in the day.

But Friday, Tampa Bay took advantage of two errors to plate five runs against Matt Thornton (0-1) and move in front, and Kyle Farnsworth retired the side in order in the bottom half to secure the victory.

"There's no feeling like it," Johnson said. "It makes everything better. We were just talking about how good the food tastes now. It leaves such a bad taste in your mouth, losing. And everything seems better right now."

Gordon Beckham and Mark Teahen both had three hits, including a homer, for the White Sox, who had won their last two games and had enough offense to grab a third in a row.

They got to Rays starter James Shields for five runs in six-plus innings, starting with Beckham's solo shot in the first. Run-scoring hits by Alex Rios and Paul Konerko in the third staked the White Sox to a 3-0 advantage.

All their runs were necessary to keep Tampa Bay behind, because Chicago starter John Danks allowed four runs in six-plus frames.

Sean Rodriguez's triple plated B.J. Upton in the fourth, and it was a 4-1 game when Teahen hit his homer in the bottom half. After Johnny Damon homered and Rodriguez recorded an RBI bunt single in the Rays' half of the sixth, Ramirez homered to give Chicago a 5-3 lead.

Danks nearly jeopardized the lead in the seventh, which he started with two walks and a single before being pulled. But Jesse Crain entered the bases- loaded jam and largely avoided disaster, giving up only one run, when Damon grounded into a fielder's choice.

Crain then pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, and the Rays looked like they were headed for a seventh consecutive loss after Teahen hit a two-run single in the bottom half to put Chicago up 7-4.

But Adam Russell (1-0) came in to get the final out of the inning, and Rays pinch-hitter Elliot Johnson began the ninth with a base hit. He moved to second on defensive indifference before scoring on a single to short by Sam Fuld.

Fuld advanced to second when the shortstop Ramirez threw the ball away, and Damon reached on an error by left fielder Juan Pierre. After Upton's single to left pulled the Rays within 7-6, Dan Johnson stepped to the plate.

He jumped on a first-pitch fastball from Thornton and ripped it deep over the right field wall for a 9-7 edge.

"It's a three-run lead and it's inexcusable to give that up in that situation," Thornton said.

Johnson was batting cleanup for a third consecutive game, a lineup position occupied by Manny Ramirez for Tampa bay's first four contests. He will likely bat fourth much more in the future, given that Ramirez retired Friday after learning of "an issue under Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program," according to an MLB release.

And if he produces like he did Friday, the Rays will take it, 0-6 start or not.

Game Notes

Shields gave up eight hits and walked one...Danks allowed six hits, walked four and struck out five...The four-game series continues Saturday, when the Rays' Wade Davis is set to oppose the White Sox's Philip Humber.