Mariners sting Rays 2-1 with homer in ninth

SEATTLE — Raul Ibanez lined a pitch from Dan Wheeler inside the right-field foul pole, Seattle's first game-ending home run in its lost season, and the Mariners beat the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Thursday night.
Ibanez's fourth career walkoff home run prompted a wild, on-field celebration by the team with the AL's worst record. On-deck batter Adrian Beltre threw his batting helmet into the air the moment the ball left the bat of Ibanez, who has 16 RBIs in his last five games.
Tampa Bay began a season-long, 10-game road trip by losing for just the second time in nine games, trimming its division lead to 2½ games over idle Boston and 5½ over the New York Yankees.
The Rays dropped to 23-29 on the road, where 29 of its final 48 games will be played. The Rays are 45-17 at home. That's the largest differential between home and road success in the major leagues.
J.J. Putz (5-4) escaped trouble in the ninth and Felix Hernandez allowed just four hits and one run in eight innings for Seattle, which won for just the fourth time in 57 games when trailing after seven innings.
Wheeler (2-5) and the bullpen couldn't help the Rays after a strong performance by Andy Sonnanstine, who went to a three-ball count just once over the first six innings. Sonnanstine retired 17 consecutive batters after a double by Jose Lopez leading off the second until Lopez singled with two outs in the seventh.
Wladmir Balentien doubled and fellow rookie Bryan LaHair singled off Sonnanstine to begin the eighth. No. 9 hitter Yuniesky Betancourt then tied the game on a sacrifice fly that scored Balentien.
Trever Miller entered with pinch-runner Miguel Cairo on second and one out, then got Ichiro Suzuki to ground out before striking out Jeremy Reed to keep the game tied into the ninth.
Tampa Bay had a chance to go ahead in the top of the ninth after Putz hit Evan Longoria on the right hand with a pitch and Carlos Pena singled him to third with one out. But Putz struck out Cliff Floyd with a 97 mph fastball and Dioner Navarro with a breaking pitch low and away.
The only run of the first 7½ innings came when Hernandez allowed a walk to Carl Crawford and a single to Longoria leading off. Crawford reached third on a fielder's choice. Then with the count 2-2 on Floyd, Hernandez appeared to confuse catcher Jeff Clement, who was late to move his mitt to catch a low pitch. It clanged off Clement's lower leg to the backstop as Crawford ran home easily on what was scored a wild pitch.
Hernandez struck out five, walked three and allowed three runs or fewer for the 11th consecutive start. He stayed 7-7 and improved his ERA to 2.94 ERA, fourth in the AL.

Associated Press

Comments

So the Rays are lying and making up this 'so called' mitochondrial disorder? No, I think it's more likely that you just have no clue what you are talking about.

[Edgar]

Right On! Their is a difference you ignorant idiot. Gallaraga,E Davis, and Magic Johnson are in a different category from Rocco. Baldelli belongs in a category of uuuuuummmmmmm let me see Mark Prior and Nomar Garciaparra category. Can't stay healthy. People who have cancer and HIV have an excuse. Guys like Nomar,Prior, and Baldelli don't. Look at Cubs they had both Nomar and Prior and they got rid of both of those guys and they moved on. Because the Cubs can't rely on both of them. The Rays got to do the same with Rocco. Nothing against Rocco as a person but the Rays can't deal with his nonstop injuries year by year.

[Edgar]

Right On! Their is a difference you ignorant idiot. Gallaraga,E Davis, and Magic Johnson are in a different category from Rocco. Baldelli belongs in a category of uuuuuummmmmmm let me see Mark Prior and Nomar Garciaparra category. Can't stay healthy. People who have cancer and HIV have an excuse. Guys like Nomar,Prior, and Baldelli don't. Look at Cubs they had both Nomar and Prior and they got rid of both of those guys and they moved on. Because the Cubs can't rely on both of them. The Rays got to do the same with Rocco. Nothing against Rocco as a person but he can't deal with his nonstop injuries year by year.

[Edgar]

Right On! Their is a difference you ignorant idiot. Gallaraga,E Davis, and Magic Johnson are in a different category from Rocco. Baldelli belongs in a category of uuuuuummmmmmm let me see Mark Prior and Nomar Garciaparra category. Can't stay healthy. Cancer and HIV have an excuse. Guys like Nomar,Prior, and Baldelli don't. Look at Cubs they had both Nomar and Prior and they got rid of both of those guys and they moved on. Because the Cubs can't rely on both of them. The Rays got to do the same with Rocco. Nothing against Rocco as a person but he can't deal with his nonstop injuries year by year.

[Right On!]

I'm with you Edgar. I'm tired of baseball players like Andres Gallaraga and Eric Davis missing time with their 'cancer', and Basketball players like Magic Johnson with his 'HIV' Pampered sissies the whole lot of them. I don't get why anyone would get offended by the suggestion they should suck it up and play through the pain!

(sarcasm)

[Kevin]

Ya gotta love Floyd's hustle and heart. Gross is the better contact guy and has pop that would only get better if he played more. Tough call.

In terms of CC being healthy for Sept stretch run, for the Rays these next few weeks are the stretch run. Sept won't matter if we can't score enough to play .500 for the next month.

[Edgar]

boy some of you Rays fans like How many times? and harold seem to amaze me. You two guys fall under baseball idiots. I hear that Rocco is coming back but WHEN!!! it is the same thing with this guy. I am glad that Tampa Bay did not pick up his buyout. Enough of this guy. His injuries are getting old. As far as Upton goes, Upton looks like he refuses to give it his all half of the time. Upton needs to get it together. He is better than that. What games have Harold and How many times? had been watching? Two morons. It seems like when someone complains about Rocco, some of the Rays fans get offended. I don't get it.

[Ray]

I don't care who they get, as long as they can hit with RISP. Manufactor runs, do squeeze plays, something to generate runs, especially against a good pitcher.

Can't do something with 2 on and no outs and you're going to lose. With any type of offense, they should be at least 15 games in the lead.

[harold]

Edgar
Uhhh
Who or what is relying on Rocco?
And what are you sick of exactly?
Your statement doesnt make any sense.
Regarding Upton
What exactly does a player do at the plate that makes you think He Does give a damn that Upton is not doing?
Because if he's not doing that let me know so I can watch out for it. I have read some people that say he doesnt run out ground balls or that he slacks off in the outfield and I have watched for that and seen him not running out graound balls. I have seen him make bad breaks on the ball and not recover but I haven't seen him slack in the feild. So tell me what hes not doing at the plate so I cam check it out. I will say this, He watches too many 1-2 and 2-2 pitches for my tastes but Im not a big league manager. Im just some schmoe
writing in on somebody elses blog.

[How many times?]

Edgar, do you read any of the articles? How many times do they need to say why Rocco hasn't been activated yet?

[Edgar]

When is Rocco coming back? If he is not ready or not healthy, say hell with him. I am sick in tired of this team relying on this guy. He is damage goods. What is with Upton at the plate? He looks like he does not give a darn. Get Ruggiano up in the minors and call up Price. he is 11-0 combine in high A and AA. They need a dependable DH and RF going to the offseason.

[JeffC]

Last night is a good example of how you can't peg one guy as someone who "always blows it," or think that your setup guys/closers are always going to seal the deal. Miller's struggled, but got two big outs.

Wheeler's been HUGE this year overall, but gave up the walk off.

Tonight is big especially with Shields going against Silva who has an ERA close to 6.

[JeffC]

I agree that CC needs to man up and play through the pain. That way, the legs will get worse, just in time for the September stretch run.

Yeah, good idea.

[Harold]

My Bad not a typist
it should say Are you guys Doctors
No e in doctors

[Harold]

Wow CC and T are You guys Docters?
Or maybe Nurses?
How about Trainers?
Any sort or Medical training at all that would qualify you to make an Intelligent remark about a hamstring strain?
Or are you just trying to beat down on Carl Crawford for other reasons?
The MRI report says mild strain. failure to be conservative could lead to a complete tear in which case he would be gone for the season and probably the post season
The fact that something was seen on the MRI means its abnormal
"He Needs to Man up"
"Would Jeter or Youk ask for a day off?"
If you want to put a beat down on Carl thats cool. It a free country. Thats why people are allowed to post idiot comments with disregard of any factual basis. eg: see CC and T 's postings

[T]

I agree with CC. How can you pull yourself out of the lineup in the middle of the Pennant Race? Would Jeter or Youk ask for a day off because of sore legs? I know this is new territory for him, but come on.....

[C.C.]

I'm so sick of Carl's complaining about his leg. He needs to man up, especially at this point in the season.

[Dave]

Putz is tough but I feel Gross was a better stick in this situation that Cliff.

[floyd sucks]

floyd is useless

[Bill]

Felix pitched well. Floyd is like Pena was not long ago, home run or strikeout. Our DH HAS to be able to produce a fly ball with 1st and 3rd and 1 out........but we all knew Floyd would K.

[Are you insane?]

Mediocre pitching? They call him KING FELIX for a reason! He is currently 4th in the AL in ERA (and better than any of the Rays current staff). I'd have liked to see a win, but there is no shame in getting shut down by one of the game's best.

[dick]

Another great pitching performance wasted by an inability to display any type of offense. You can't expect to win games when you manage a paltry 5 hits against mediocre pitching. Wish we could have saved one of those productive hits yesterday for tonight. Alas, let's hope tomorrow is better.