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Navarro, Devil Rays halt Yankees' playoff celebration

Sep 26, 2007 - 4:34 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Dioner Navarro kept his former club's champagne on ice.

Navarro belted a walk-off homer as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays prevented the New York Yankees from clinching their 13th straight playoff berth with a 7-6 victory in 10 innings on Tuesday night.

Jorge Velandia blasted a grand slam - his first major league homer - for the Devil Rays, who used a six-run sixth inning to erase a five-run deficit en route to the victory.

"It happens, it's a good story," Velandia said. "I'm pretty excited about it. I'm a small guy. I don't try to hit home runs."

With the loss, the Yankees (90-67) lead the Detroit Tigers (86-72) by 4 1/2 games in the American League wild card race - needing one win or a Tigers' loss to make yet another appearance in October. Detroit routed the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. The Yankees dropped three games behind first-place Boston in the AL East with five games to play.

"Maybe we'll make it harder on them," Navarro said. "We're young, we're hungry and we want to show we can play against anyone in the big leagues."

But New York could not celebrate on this night thanks to Navarro, who was a former prospect with the Yankees.

The catcher appeared in just five games with the Yankees before getting traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team deal, which brought Randy Johnson to New York prior to the 2005 season.

Navarro led off the 10th with a solo blast off reliever Jeff Karstens (1-4), slamming the ball deep into the right field seats to snap a 6-6 tie.

"It's very disappointing," Karstens said. "You don't want to finish a game like that."

Alex Rodriguez's grand slam off Jason Hammel gave the Yankees a 5-0 lead in the third inning, but the Devil Rays rallied with six in the sixth. It was Rodriguez's third grand slam this season and 16th of his career.

Trailing by five runs entering the sixth, Velandia highlighted the frame with his slam to give the Devil Rays a 6-5 advantage.

"This guy's really good in the clubhouse and then he made an impact on the field today," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "It was bedlam in the dugout. The little curtain call, I liked that."

Melky Cabrera's sacrifice fly in the eighth pulled the Yankees even at 6-6.

Hammel yielded five runs and seven hits in five innings while striking out four and walking three. Gary Glover (6-5), who was one five Devil Rays relievers, hurled the 10th to pick up the victory.

New York starter Kei Igawa tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out two and walking five.

"We walked too many, we continued to fight but we came up a little short," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "We just couldn't get the job done out of the bullpen in the middle innings. I know Jeff (Karstens) would throw strikes and had the most experience."

Johnny Damon had five hits for the Yankees, who suffered just their fifth loss in their last 19 games.

"We have to come back tomorrow and try to clinch," Damon said. "It's not easy, but we're going to get the job done."