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Pena sparks rally as Rays top Orioles

Apr 12, 2008 - 3:43 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- It's not easy to upstage a teammate's career milestone, but that's exactly what Carlos Pena did Friday.

Pena belted two home runs and had six RBI, overshadowing Carl Crawford's 1,000th career hit in the Tampa Bay Rays' 10-5 victory against the Baltimore Orioles.

Pena was responsible for Tampa Bay's first six runs, rallying the Rays from a 5-2 seventh-inning deficit to a 6-5 lead.

"It feels great," said Pena of his 13th multi-homer game. "To come back and win is so huge for us. It's so big, a collective effort."

Crawford, who had two hits, recorded his 1,000th career hit in the seventh on a blooper that fell between shortstop Luis Hernandez and center fielder Jay Payton. Pena followed with a three-run homer.

"Crawford is a superstar in the making," Pena said. "I'm so happy I can tell my son one day, 'I played with Carl Crawford.' He's one of the best players in the league, no doubt about it."

Crawford became only the eighth player since 1900 with 1,000 career hits and 250 steals before his 27th birthday.

"Anytime you reach a milestone like that it's pretty nice," Crawford said. "It's something no one can take away from me. It felt real good with the win. That's why you didn't see me take my helmet off (after hit No. 1,000), we were still losing."

The Rays rattled three Orioles relievers for eight runs in the seventh and eighth innings to rally from a 5-2 deficit.

Pena had a two-run homer in the first and added a three-run blast in the seventh to pull the Rays even at 5-5.

Crawford, who had two hits, recorded his 1,000th career hit in the seventh on a blooper that fell between shortstop Luis Hernandez and center fielder Jay Payton. Pena followed with his three-run homer.

After Pena tied it in the seventh, he broke the tie by drawing a bases-loaded walk in the eighth off Dennis Sarfate (2-1). Greg Aquino relieved Sarfate and allowed a two-run single to B.J. Upton, an RBI double to Eric Hinske and an RBI single to Shawn Riggans.

The Rays won their second consecutive game since ending a four-game losing streak.

Right fielder Nathan Haynes and Upton each had three hits.

Since starting 6-1, the Orioles have lost three consecutive games.

The game was a rematch of Opening Day starters and neither figured in the decision. Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie allowed eight hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings, while James Shields allowed seven hits in six innings and five runs (two earned).

"I thought Guthrie pitched obviously well enough to win the game," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said. "We got everything we could out of him. It's just unfortunate we didn't close it out."

Left fielder Luke Scott had a pair of doubles and two RBI.

In the first, the Orioles scored a run on shortstop Jason Bartlett's two-out throwing error. Scott followed with a two-run double for a 3-0 lead.

"Shields was a little off with his rhythm," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "We gave up some runs early that shouldn't have been on the board."

Pena answered with a two-run homer in the first. Brian Roberts' RBI double increased Baltimore's lead to 4-2 in the second, and Ramon Hernandez's RBI single in the sixth made it 5-2.

Pena's three-run homer came off lefthanded reliever Jamie Walker, who allowed three hits to the only batters he faced.

"It was a perfect situation," Walker said. "I mean, that's my role and I tanked it. Like I said, I cost our team the win and I cost Guthrie a win, but it's done with and I have to prepare for (Saturday)."