Final
Rays outlast Astros in slugfest
Jun 27, 2011 - 1:19 AMVideo
Longoria went 4-for-6 with three runs scored in a game that featured 18 extra-base hits, 84 official at-bats and 11 pitchers.
B.J. Upton hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs for the Rays, who went 5-1 on a six-game road trip. Upton homered in every game of the series.
J.P. Howell (1-1) got the win despite giving up a solo homer in one inning of work.
Carlos Lee knocked in three runs for the Astros, who have dropped a season- high six in a row and 14 of 16 at home. Jeff Keppinger and Matt Downs homered in defeat.
Wilton Lopez (1-4) allowed four runs on four hits over 2 1/3 innings to suffer the loss.
It didn't take long for the runs to start piling up. Upton continued his impressive showing in the series with a three-run homer to left-center field in the first inning.
Houston got one run back in the home first on Lee's RBI triple to right-center field.
The Astros added two more runs in the second to tie the game. Clint Barmes hit an RBI double, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-3.
Upton's RBI groundout in the third gave the Rays a 4-3 edge, but Lee's two-run double in the bottom of the frame put Houston in front.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the fourth, as Ben Zobrist hit an RBI double to make it a 5-5 contest.
But the Astros tacked on two more runs in the home fourth to take the lead back. Michael Bourn hit an RBI single, stole second, moved to third on catcher Kelly Shoppach's throwing error and scored on a Keppinger sacrifice fly.
"That was something where after the fourth inning we felt like we had already been through nine innings," Astros manager Brad Mills said.
Following a scoreless fifth, the Rays put two runs on the board in the sixth. Lopez gave up a single to Johnny Damon, who advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a balk. Longoria stepped to the plate with one out and smacked Lopez's offering over the wall in left to make it 7-7.
Keppinger's solo homer to left off Howell in the seventh gave the Astros an 8-7 edge.
Of course there was more runs to be had, as the Rays scored four times in the eighth. Damon and Zobrist singled off Lopez to put men on first and second with one out. Mark Melancon took over on the mound and got Longoria to go down swinging. Upton walked to load the bases for pinch-hitter Matt Joyce, who hit a two-run double to the right-field corner. Casey Kotchman followed with a two-run single to right to give Tampa Bay an 11-8 lead.
Downs kept Houston in the game with a two-run homer off Joel Peralta in the home eighth.
Longoria put the game out of reach in the ninth. Wade Davis, who pitched seven strong innings for the Rays on Saturday, led off with a pinch-hit single. Davis moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third on Damon's base hit. But Davis was thrown out at home when Zobrist hit a grounder to second. Two men were still on base for Longoria, who cleared the wall in left to make it a 14-10 contest.
Game Notes
Rays starter Jeff Niemann gave up five runs on seven hits over three innings. Houston starter J.A. Happ allowed five runs on nine hits over five full frames...The Rays are 8-1 over their last nine games...Houston fell to 3-6 in interleague play this season, while the Rays improved to 9-3...Longoria's homer in the sixth was reviewed. It was the seventh career multi-homer game for Longoria.
- TAMPA BAY: 14
HOUSTON: 10
Final
Jun 26 5:58 PM - Evan Longoria two-out, three-run Home Run 2 (9) to left scored Johnny Damon and Ben Zobrist. B.J. Upton due up.
Rays 14, Astros 10 Top 9, 2 OutsJun 26 5:44 PM - Matt Downs none-out, two-run Home Run (6) to left scored Chris Johnson. Clint Barmes due up.
Rays 11, Astros 10 Bot 8, 0 OutsJun 26 5:26 PM - Casey Kotchman singled to right scored B.J. Upton and Matt Joyce, advanced to second on the throw. Runner on second with two outs and John Jaso due up.
Rays 11, Astros 8 Top 8, 2 OutsJun 26 5:15 PM - Jeff Keppinger one-out, solo Home Run (2) to left. Hunter Pence due up.
Rays 7, Astros 8 Bot 7, 1 OutJun 26 4:50 PM - B.J. Upton struck out swinging. None on with two outs and Sean Rodriguez due up.
Rays 7, Astros 7 Top 6, 2 OutsJun 26 4:23 PM - Jeff Keppinger sacrifice fly out to right scored Michael Bourn. None on with two outs and Hunter Pence due up.
Rays 5, Astros 7 Bot 4, 2 OutsJun 26 3:51 PM - Michael Bourn stole second advances to third on Kelly Shoppach's throwing error. Runner on third with one out and Jeff Keppinger at the plate.
Rays 5, Astros 6 Bot 4, 1 OutJun 26 3:50 PM - Ben Zobrist doubled to left scored Elliot Johnson. On the play, Johnny Damon advances to third. Runners on second and third with one out and Evan Longoria due up.
Rays 5, Astros 5 Top 4, 1 OutJun 26 3:34 PM - Carlos Lee doubled to left scored Jeff Keppinger and Hunter Pence. Runner on second with none out and Chris Johnson due up.
Rays 4, Astros 5 Bot 3, 0 OutsJun 26 3:21 PM - B.J. Upton grounded out third to first scored Ben Zobrist. Runner on second with one out and Sean Rodriguez due up.
Rays 4, Astros 3 Top 3, 1 OutJun 26 3:02 PM - Clint Barmes scored on a wild pitch. None on with two outs and Michael Bourn at the plate.
Rays 3, Astros 3 Bot 2, 2 OutsJun 26 2:53 PM - Clint Barmes doubled to left scored Brett Wallace. Runner on second with none out and Carlos Corporan due up.
Rays 3, Astros 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsJun 26 2:42 PM - Carlos Lee tripled to right center scored Jeff Keppinger. Runner on third with two outs and Chris Johnson due up.
Rays 3, Astros 1 Bot 1, 2 OutsJun 26 2:28 PM - B.J. Upton one-out, three-run Home Run (11) to left center scored Ben Zobrist and Evan Longoria. Sean Rodriguez due up.
Rays 3, Astros 0 Top 1, 1 OutJun 26 2:13 PM - TAMPA BAY: 0
HOUSTON: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Jun 26 2:07 PM
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