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Pena's big blast powers Devil Rays to another win

Sep 4, 2007 - 4:17 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Carlos Pena didn't get mad, he got even.

Pena set a new club record with his 35th home run, lifting the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 9-7 victory against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.

Already well past his previous career high of 27 homers set in 2004 while he was a member of the Detroit Tigers, Pena's home run in the seventh off Jim Hoey (1-4) came two innings after he was hit in the helmet by Orioles reliever Rocky Cherry. The two-run blast broke the franchise record he shared with Jose Canseco (1999) and Aubrey Huff (2003).

"That ball was absolutely crushed," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "I lost sight of that one. He got us going again."

"That's pretty cool (the record)," Pena said. "I'm extremely excited. It's a very cool thing and I don't take it for granted. At heart, I'm just a kid playing baseball. It means a lot. It's an honor. You don't think about those things; they just happen."

In Pena's previous at-bat in the fifth, Cherry struck Pena in the back of the helmet with his first pitch, however, Pena got up quickly. The home run, which bounced off a cat walk inside Tropicana Field, came on the first pitch he saw and broke a 4-4 tie.

Akinori Iwamura added three hits - including his own two-run home run - and Delmon Young had two hits and three RBI for the Devil Rays, who won for the ninth time in their last 11 games.

Tampa Bay starter James Shields (11-8) won for the third time in his last four decisions. He allowed four runs - one earned - and seven hits over seven innings, striking out six.

"It's tough (allowing three unearned runs in the fourth), but the way we're playing right now, I had confidence in us to come back," Shields said. "This is the best I've seen us play."

Orioles starter Kurt Birkins (1-2) lasted only four innings, allowing four earned runs and six hits. He would have likely allowed more runs, but he received a huge break in the third when first base umpire Paul Nauert ruled Carl Crawford out on a grounder to shortstop.

Television replays clearly showed Crawford not only beat the throw, but that first baseman Kevin Millar's foot was pulled off from the bag before the ball arrived in his glove. Crawford leaped in the air in disbelief, slamming his helmet into the ground and was immediately ejected by Nauert.

"It just caught me by surprise," Crawford said. "To see him pump his fist out, it just shocked me. We've always been getting calls that don't go our way, but tonight, that was a play I knew I was right on. I'm glad (first base coach George Hendrick) was there, but I probably would have done something I'd regretted later on."

Corey Patterson finished with two RBI for the Orioles, who lost for the 12th time in their last 13 contests.