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Pena caps furious rally as Rays top Indians

Aug 6, 2008 - 10:03 PM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon has stopped trying to explain it. He just continues to sit back and watch the team's magical season unfold.

Carlos Pena smashed the game-winning three-run homer Wednesday as the Rays scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun the Cleveland Indians, 10-7.

Tampa Bay is 41-10 in its last 51 home games and has won 15 of its last 16 series at home. Wednesday's win was only the Rays' fifth in their last 25 meetings with the Indians.

"We continue to fight, I'm really pleased," Maddon said. "Probably the most exciting game since I've been here."

With the Rays trailing, 7-4, and facing reliever Edward Mujica, who was going after his first save in 19 appearances, Jason Bartlett and Eric Hinske led off the ninth with consecutive doubles. Gabe Gross followed with a two-run blast to right, making it 7-7.

When Bartlett led off, that really mattered. He got things rolling," Maddon said.

After Masa Kobayashi (4-5) replaced Mujica, Akinori Iwamura beat out an infield single when the Japanese righthander missed stepping on first. Ben Zobrist walked on four pitches to set the stage for Pena, who crushed Kobayahsi's first pitch over the center field fence to give the Rays the win.

"It comes down to the same simple approach, seeing and hitting," Pena said. "That's the thing you always dream of doing and to do it is awesome. It was big for us to end this homestand on a good note."

Jhonny Peralta went 5-for-5, including a home run, and Franklin Gutierrez led off the game with a homer as the Indians built a three-run lead. Peralta's five hits tied a career high, set June 30 at the Chicago White Sox. He led the Indians' 12-hit attack with his 19th homer of the season, two doubles and two singles in extending his hitting streak to 10 games.

"I felt good at home plate today and got good pitches to hit," Peralta said.

Trailing, 3-2, the Indians took a 5-3 lead in the fifth as Shin-Soo Choo had an RBI single and Andy Marte followed with a two-run double.

Tampa Bay got one back in the bottom of the fifth but Cleveland scored one in the sixth and one in the ninth to take a 7-4 lead.

"You never expect anything like that ninth inning," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "Anytime you get to the ninth inning with a lead, in particular a three-run lead, you need to be able to finish it off."

Rays All-Star Scott Kazmir didn't reach the fifth inning for a second consecutive start. He allowed five runs and a season-high nine hits in 4 1/3 innings, walking three and striking out four. The lefthander has only one win in his last seven starts.

"I'm pressing just a little too much," Kazmir said. "It's frustrating because it feels like every warmup pitch I throw is perfect, and when the game starts I want to do it a little harder."

Tampa Bay took a 3-1 lead in the first on Evan Longoria's RBI single and Dioner Navarro's two-run homer.

Cleveland starter Jeremy Sowers allowed three runs and six hits in six innings. He struck out two and walked three.

Rays closer Troy Percival (2-0) retired the final two batters in the top of the ninth to pick up the win.