Eric Hinske finishes single shy of hitting for cycle, paces Rays' 6-4 victory over Blue Jays
By FRED GOODALL | Associated Press | Apr 22, 08 9:00 PM CDT in
Sports
Eric Hinske drove in two runs and finished a single shy of hitting for the cycle Tuesday night, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 at Disney World.
Hinske doubled in the second inning and added a RBI triple off Jesse Litsch (2-1) in the fourth before leading off the sixth with a solo homer _ his sixth of the season _ off reliever Jesse Carlson.
The first baseman's bid to hit for the cycle fell short when Scott Downs struck him out in the eighth.
Rookie Evan Longoria had a solo homer _ his second of the season _ off Litsch. Dioner Navarro (finger lacerations) returned from a stint on the 15-day disabled list to deliver two RBIs singles against the Blue Jays' starter.
James Shields (2-1) allowed four runs and six hits over seven innings to win for the first time since beating Baltimore in Tampa Bay's season opener. Two of Toronto's run were unearned, and the right-hander struck out five and walked two.
The Rays improved to 4-0 in regular-season games they've played about 90 miles east from Tropicana Field to Disney. The team is trying broaden its fan base in the Orlando area. They swept a three-game series from Texas in 2007, and will face the Blue Jays again here Wednesday and Thursday.
Vernon Wells hit his fourth homer for Toronto, which also got two RBIs from Marco Scutaro.
Dan Wheeler pitched the eighth for Tampa Bay, and Troy Percival worked a perfect ninth for his second save in as many opportunities.
Last May's home-away-from-home series against the Rangers drew crowds of 8,443, 8,839 and 9,635 to Disney's Champion Stadium, the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves. Tuesday night's game, going head-to-head against an Orlando Magic home playoff date, attracted 8,269.
The Blue Jays scored two second-inning runs off Shields without hitting the ball out of the infield.
The Rays starter walked the first two batters of the inning, then made matters worse when he and Hinske were charged with errors on a play that allowed Toronto to take a 1-0 lead. Scutaro drove in the Blue Jays' second run when he grounded into a force play, then added a RBI single in the fourth.
The Rays countered with two in the bottom of the second off Litsch, then chased the former Tampa Bay bat boy with three runs in the fourth for a 5-3 lead. The big blow in the inning was Hinske's RBI triple down the right field line.
Litsch, now 1-2 in four career starts against his former employers, allowed five runs and eight hits in 3 1-3 innings.
Notes:@ Tampa Bay DH Carlos Pena was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. ... The Rays acquired OF Gabe Gross from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for minor league pitcher Josh Butler. ... Blue Jays 3B Scott Rolen (broken finger), on a rehab assignment with Class A Dunedin, could rejoin the team during the current road trip. ... Pena (right hamstring) was the DH for the third straight game. He might play in the field Wednesday. ... Blue Jays RF Alex Rios was rested. ... With Navarro back in the lineup, Tampa Bay designated C Mike DiFelice for assignment.
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