Final
Pena propels Devil Rays in rout of Orioles
Sep 6, 2007 - 3:20 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Devil Rays bounced back against the Baltimore Orioles in a big way.Carlos Pena hit two of the Devil Rays' five home runs and finished with a career-high seven RBI in the Devil Rays' 17-2 rout of the Orioles on Wednesday.
The 17 runs were a franchise-best in a home game for Tampa Bay, which dropped an 8-4 decision on Tuesday to Baltimore.
"Everybody's kind of perky," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "We're having better at-bats. It was pretty much a complete game for us. We believe we can beat anyone on a nightly basis right now."
In addition, the Devil Rays amassed a season-high 22 hits and 40 total bases. The 15-run margin of victory was also a team record.
"As a team, we've been swinging the bats very well," Pena said. "We're having fun right now."
Pena hit his fifth career grand slam in the fifth and added a two-run homer in the sixth against the Orioles. Pena has 37 home runs and 105 RBI this season.
"I've been doing a pretty good job of trying to keep things simple," Pena said. "The less you think, the better you hit. Less is more."
Maddon thinks Pena is vastly underrated.
"He'd be in the running for MVP right now if he was in a different city," Maddon said.
Brendan Harris, Delmon Young and Jonny Gomes also hit home runs for the Devil Rays, who have won 10 of their last 13 games.
It was Harris' first home run in 263 at-bats.
"I've had some droughts before, but nothing like that," Harris said.
Every Tampa Bay starter collected at least two hits, except Young, who was 1-for-6 with four RBI.
Tampa Bay scored in each of the first four innings, breaking it open with an eight-run outburst in the fourth. The Devil Rays scored in every inning but the fifth and eighth.
"We're trying to do the best we can, it's just not working," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "We're having trouble staying away from the big inning."
Andy Sonnanstine (5-9) benefited from Tampa Bay's outburst. He surrendered only two earned runs in six innings in winning his third consecutive game.
"Putting up 17 runs in impressive," Sonnanstine said. "Carlos Pena, I've never seen a guy swing like this."
Rookie Radhames Liz (0-2) lasted only 1 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs. Former Devil Ray Rob Bell didn't fare much better in relief, allowing six earned runs and seven hits in 1 1/3 innings.
"The change up wasn't very good tonight," Liz said. "It was all about control today. As soon as I get control of my pitches, I can have a good start."
Josh Wilson had four hits and Carl Crawford and Gomes had three hits apiece for Tampa Bay.
- AL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
BALTIMORE 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 9 1
TAMPA BAY 2 2 1 8 0 3 1 0 x 17 22 0 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: BAL - RADHAMES LIZ, ROB BELL (2ND), FERNANDO CABRERA (4TH), BRIAN
BURRES (6TH) AND PAUL BAKO, GUSTAVO MOLINA (5TH)
TAM - ANDY SONNANSTINE, GRANT BALFOUR (7TH), JON
Sep 5 10:04 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY JONNY GOMES (15) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 7TH OFF BRIAN BURRES.
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 2, TAMPA BAY 17
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: D NAVARRO (.223, 2-FOR-3, BB, RBI)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 9:37 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY CARLOS PENA (37) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 6TH OFF BRIAN BURRES SCORED CARL CRAWFORD.
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 2, TAMPA BAY 16
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B UPTON (.315, 2-FOR-3, BB, RBI)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 9:21 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY CARL CRAWFORD SCORED JOSH WILSON.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C CRAWFORD ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 2
TAMPA BAY 14 BOTTOM, 6TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C PENA (.276, 1-FOR-1, 2 BB, SF, HR, 5 RBI)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 9:19 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY TIKE REDMAN SCORED JAY PAYTON AND FREDDIE BYNUM.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, T REDMAN ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 2
TAMPA BAY 13 TOP, 5TH
DUE UP FOR BALTIMORE: N MARKAKIS (.294, 0-FOR-2)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 8:54 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
GRAND SLAM BY CARLOS PENA (36) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT IN THE
4TH OFF FERNANDO CABRERA SCORED JONNY GOMES, DIONER NAVARRO AND CARL
CRAWFORD.
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 0, TAMPA BAY 13
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B UPTON (.316, 2-FOR-2, BB, RBI)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 8:49 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY BRENDAN HARRIS (9) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 4TH OFF ROB BELL.
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 0, TAMPA BAY 9
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: J GOMES (.243, 0-FOR-2)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 8:34 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY DELMON YOUNG (11) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT
IN THE 4TH OFF ROB BELL SCORED CARLOS PENA AND B.J. UPTON.
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 0, TAMPA BAY 8
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B HARRIS (.285, 1-FOR-2)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 8:33 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DIONER NAVARRO SCORED BRENDAN HARRIS.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D NAVARRO ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 0
TAMPA BAY 5 BOTTOM, 3RD
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: J WILSON (.271, 1-FOR-1)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 8:15 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY CARLOS PENA SCORED JOSH WILSON.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, C CRAWFORD ON FIRST, A IWAMURA ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 0
TAMPA BAY 4 BOTTOM, 2ND
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B UPTON (.314, 1-FOR-1, RBI)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 7:52 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY AKINORI IWAMURA SCORED DIONER NAVARRO.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, A IWAMURA ON FIRST, J WILSON ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 0
TAMPA BAY 3 BOTTOM, 2ND
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C CRAWFORD (.312, 0-FOR-1)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 7:46 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY DELMON YOUNG SCORED CARLOS PENA.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, B UPTON ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 0
TAMPA BAY 2 BOTTOM, 1ST
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B HARRIS (.284, 8 HR, 53 RBI)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 7:31 PM - AL
AT TAMPA BAY - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY B.J. UPTON SCORED AKINORI IWAMURA.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B UPTON ON SECOND, C PENA ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: BALTIMORE 0
TAMPA BAY 1 BOTTOM, 1ST
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: D YOUNG (.295, 10 HR, 75 RBI)
Orioles vs. RaysSep 5 7:28 PM
Related News
- Tuesday Bird Droppings: The slow march to Opening Day Dec 26
- Christmas Bird Droppings: Enjoy the holiday season, Birdland Dec 25
- Christmas Eve Bird Droppings Dec 24
- Saturday Bird Droppings: Ryan Minor has passed away Dec 23
- The 2023 ALDS, Game 1 (Camden Chat’s version) Dec 22
- Friday Bird Droppings: The Dodgers won the Yamamoto sweepstakes Dec 22
- The 2014 ALCS, Game 1 (Camden Chat’s version) Dec 21
- Thursday Bird Droppings: Lease done, it’s back to thinking about the Orioles rotation Dec 21
- How much can Oriole Park at Camden Yards change without losing its classic feel? Dec 20
- The Mother’s Day Massacre (Camden Chat’s Version) Dec 20
- On Losing Tyler Glasnow Dec 20
- Wednesday Bird Droppings: Waiting on Yamamoto to make a choice Dec 20