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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – The Tampa Bay Devil Rays feared the
worst when Albie Lopez slipped awkwardly to the ground, scrambled
to his feet to throw a runner out and then went down again.
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The second-inning scare turned out to be the only anxious moment
Tuesday night in an 8-1 season-opening victory over the Toronto
Blue Jays.
Lopez not only remained in the game to pitch with a slightly
sprained left knee, he got stronger and scattered seven hits over
eight innings to move past Rolando Arrojo for the most victories in
Devil Rays history (22).
"It scared me. I heard a pop," said Lopez, who slipped and
nearly did a split when he positioned himself to field Brad
Fullmer's grounder to the mound. "I didn't know what to expect,
but I knew I had to get the ball and make sure I got an out at
least."
The Devil Rays' most accomplished pitchers, Wilson Alvarez and
Juan Guzman, remain on the disabled list after combining for just
one start because of shoulder problems last season. When manager
Larry Rothschild saw Lopez clutching his knee, he was concerned
that the right-hander might be out for a while.
"I don't know about him, but it scared me," Rothschild said.
But Lopez got up, walked around the mound flexing his leg and
declared himself ready to continue after throwing one warmup pitch.
"It was huge to win the opener," said Lopez, who walked three
and struck six. "All I was thinking about was setting the tone. I
think I accomplished that."
Shannon Stewart's second homer of the season, a solo shot in the
third, accounted for the Blue Jays' only run.
Ben Grieve, acquired from Oakland in a three-team trade over the
winter, went 1-for-4 in his Devil Rays debut. His two-run triple
off Pedro Borbon keyed a four-run fifth that broke the game open.
Gerald Williams hit a solo homer off Kevin Beirne in the sixth
inning and Vinny Castilla doubled twice and drove in a run for
Tampa Bay. The Devil Rays improved to 2-2 in season openers and won
for the first time in four home openers.
Randy Winn, who hit one homer in 159 at-bats last season, added
a solo shot off Kelvim Escobar in the eighth.
Lopez began last season in the bullpen and had made 152
consecutive relief appearances before moving into the rotation May
28 and going on to lead Tampa Bay in victories (11), ERA (4.13),
complete games (4) and innings pitched (185 1-3).
The Blue Jays got a superb pitching performance from Esteban
Loaiza in their season-opening victory over Texas on Sunday, but
Steve Parris (0-1) couldn't duplicate the success in his American
League debut.
Parris, obtained from Cincinnati in an offseason trade, allowed
four runs on nine hits in four innings. He gave up an RBI double to
Greg Vaughn in the second and the Blue Jays trailed 2-1 when
replaced by Borbon after giving up a single and a walk with no outs
in the fifth.
"Basically, I stunk out there," Parris said. "It was just one
of those days."
McGriff grounded to first to drive in Tampa Bay's second run and
give the Devil Rays a lead for the first time in a home opener.
Grieve's triple into the right-field corner off Borbon made it 4-1,
and Castilla's RBI double off Beirne drove in the third run in a
four-run fifth.
When Bobby Smith singled to drive in Castilla for a 6-1 lead, it
gave each of the nine batters in Tampa Bay's starting lineup at
least one hit.
The Devil Rays, outscored 29-12 in the three previous home
openers in franchise history, finished with 15 hits.
Game notes
Williams also hit the first homer of the season for the
Devil Rays last year, connecting off Minnesota's Brad Radke on
Opening Day ... Stewart's homer traveled an estimated 415 feet ...
Tampa Bay won't play a 2000 playoff team until Oakland on May 29,
their 51st game. They are the only team in the majors that does not
face a playoff team in its first 50 games ... Six of the Devil
Rays' first nine games are against the Blue Jays ... Parris' 17
losses in 2000 were second in the majors to Omar Daal's 19.
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RECAPS
Minnesota 3
Detroit 2
Texas 3
Anaheim 2
Tampa Bay 8
Toronto 1
Oakland 5
Seattle 1
NY Mets 6
Atlanta 4
Houston 11
Milwaukee 3
Cincinnati 3
Pittsburgh 2
Philadelphia 4
Florida 3
Arizona 3
Los Angeles 2
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