Post by Fish Troll on May 26, 2007 10:56:59 GMT -5
Rays rally, but fall short in Chicago
Dukes homers in return; Stokes allows game-winner in ninth
By David Brown / Special to MLB.com
CHICAGO -- Carl Crawford blamed himself Friday for the Devil Rays being unable to make Elijah Dukes' home run a little more meaningful.
Dukes, who was benched for the previous two games after his estranged wife reportedly filed a restraining order against him, hit a game-tying, three-run homer in the seventh, but an inning later, Crawford's questionable baseunning cut short a rally in the White Sox 5-4 win.
Chicago's Joe Crede hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded against reliever Brian Stokes in the ninth for the game-winning run, handing Chad Orvella (0-2) the loss.
"That was great for him to be able to come back and hit a home run and do something positive, just to get a lot of the negative stuff out of the way," Crawford said. "We had some momentum coming in the next inning. Then the baserunning error happened. That kind of blew the air out of the balloon. We were still in the game."
Crawford led off the eighth with a single, his third hit of the game, and stole second base with one out. After an intentional walk, and with left-hander Matt Thorton in to relieve, Crawford got a big jump for third. So big, that Thorton wheeled and fired there for an easy out.
"Got a little anxious, a little over-aggressive, and that kind of stuff happens," said Crawford, who is in the top 10 in the American League in stolen bases, and won the stolen-base title a season ago.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said that Crawford, a top player with several seasons of experience, still is a bit raw around the edges.
"He was just trying to make things happen," Maddon said. "We play hard every night. Sometimes we make mistakes. We need to work on eradication of our mistakes."
Crawford said he never gave himself a chance to steal third.
"It was pretty easy," for Thonton, Crawford said. "All he had to do was step off and throw me out. That was totally a baserunning error on my part. I just helped them out a little bit today. I've been in a little baserunning funk lately. I don't know where the problem's at. I guess I can say I'm in a baserunning slump right now."
Dukes was the story after hitting his ninth homer, against White Sox starter Mark Buehrle, an inning earlier. Dukes had no comment before the game or after. His wife, NiShea Gilbert -- a teacher in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area -- reportedly said that Dukes threatened to kill her. The two are going through a divorce.
In the wake of the allegations, Maddon benched Duke for two games.
After what he called two nights of due consideration and lost sleep, Maddon reinstated Dukes, who led off and played center field against the White Sox. Some fans at U.S. Cellular Field occasionally booed Dukes.
His blast against Buehrle -- who came up short for the fifth time for his 100th career win -- tied the game at 4.
"He came though in a big moment right there," Maddon said.
Orvella retired the side in order in the eighth, but he walked the first two batters in the ninth to set up the Sox final rally.
Bobby Jenks (2-1) got the win in relief for Chicago.
Luis Terrero hit a three-run homer off Rays starter James Shields to give the White Sox a 4-1 lead in the fourth. Shields, who came in with a 3-0 record, said he struggled in allowing four runs and 10 hits with three walks over seven innings.
"This is probably one of my worst games of the year," Shields said. "I had to battle through a lot of stuff today."
David Brown is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Dukes homers in return; Stokes allows game-winner in ninth
By David Brown / Special to MLB.com
CHICAGO -- Carl Crawford blamed himself Friday for the Devil Rays being unable to make Elijah Dukes' home run a little more meaningful.
Dukes, who was benched for the previous two games after his estranged wife reportedly filed a restraining order against him, hit a game-tying, three-run homer in the seventh, but an inning later, Crawford's questionable baseunning cut short a rally in the White Sox 5-4 win.
Chicago's Joe Crede hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded against reliever Brian Stokes in the ninth for the game-winning run, handing Chad Orvella (0-2) the loss.
"That was great for him to be able to come back and hit a home run and do something positive, just to get a lot of the negative stuff out of the way," Crawford said. "We had some momentum coming in the next inning. Then the baserunning error happened. That kind of blew the air out of the balloon. We were still in the game."
Crawford led off the eighth with a single, his third hit of the game, and stole second base with one out. After an intentional walk, and with left-hander Matt Thorton in to relieve, Crawford got a big jump for third. So big, that Thorton wheeled and fired there for an easy out.
"Got a little anxious, a little over-aggressive, and that kind of stuff happens," said Crawford, who is in the top 10 in the American League in stolen bases, and won the stolen-base title a season ago.
Rays manager Joe Maddon said that Crawford, a top player with several seasons of experience, still is a bit raw around the edges.
"He was just trying to make things happen," Maddon said. "We play hard every night. Sometimes we make mistakes. We need to work on eradication of our mistakes."
Crawford said he never gave himself a chance to steal third.
"It was pretty easy," for Thonton, Crawford said. "All he had to do was step off and throw me out. That was totally a baserunning error on my part. I just helped them out a little bit today. I've been in a little baserunning funk lately. I don't know where the problem's at. I guess I can say I'm in a baserunning slump right now."
Dukes was the story after hitting his ninth homer, against White Sox starter Mark Buehrle, an inning earlier. Dukes had no comment before the game or after. His wife, NiShea Gilbert -- a teacher in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area -- reportedly said that Dukes threatened to kill her. The two are going through a divorce.
In the wake of the allegations, Maddon benched Duke for two games.
After what he called two nights of due consideration and lost sleep, Maddon reinstated Dukes, who led off and played center field against the White Sox. Some fans at U.S. Cellular Field occasionally booed Dukes.
His blast against Buehrle -- who came up short for the fifth time for his 100th career win -- tied the game at 4.
"He came though in a big moment right there," Maddon said.
Orvella retired the side in order in the eighth, but he walked the first two batters in the ninth to set up the Sox final rally.
Bobby Jenks (2-1) got the win in relief for Chicago.
Luis Terrero hit a three-run homer off Rays starter James Shields to give the White Sox a 4-1 lead in the fourth. Shields, who came in with a 3-0 record, said he struggled in allowing four runs and 10 hits with three walks over seven innings.
"This is probably one of my worst games of the year," Shields said. "I had to battle through a lot of stuff today."
David Brown is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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