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          Crawford cranks 3-run game-winning shot in ninth

          Jul 4, 2003

            ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- When Carl Crawford homers, he makes
            it count.

            Crawford's first homer since opening day, a three-run drive with
            one out in the ninth inning, gave the Devil Rays a 4-3 victory over
            the Chicago White Sox on Friday night and consecutive wins for the
            first time in seven weeks.

            Crawford drove a 0-1 pitch from Billy Koch (5-5) into the
            right-field seats after Javier Valentin walked and pinch-hitter Al
            Martin singled.

            "I didn't think it was going out. I was saying: `Go ball go,'
            the whole time," Crawford said.

            Crawford also hit a three-run homer in the ninth to beat Boston
            on March 31.

            "I thought it might be my last one," he said. "I didn't know
            when the next one was coming, but I'll take it."

            Jesus Colome (2-4) pitched one inning and won despite giving up
            a solo homer to Brian Daubach in the top of the ninth. Roberto
            Alomar drove in Chicago's other two runs for his first RBI with
            the White Sox.

            Tampa Bay won consecutive games for the first time since May
            15-16. Chicago, which had won six of its previous seven, came
            within two outs of climbing over .500 for the first time since May
            2.

            The Devil Rays will try to win three in a row for the first time
            all year on Saturday. Manager Lou Piniella has promised to dye his
            hair if the last-place team wins three straight at any point in the
            season.

            "It's been so long, I've forgotten it," Piniella said when
            reminded of the vow. "But if they go out and win tomorrow, they'll
            get it."

            White Sox starter Bartolo Colon allowed one run and eight hits
            in 6 2-3 innings, departing with a 2-1 lead. Koch, who struck out
            Jason Tyner to begin the ninth, blew a save for the fourth time in
            15 chances.

            "It's a tough loss. Any time you lose with a three-run homer
            against your closer, that's a tough loss. There's no doubt about
            it," said Chicago manager Jerry Manuel, adding that Koch's
            performance has him considering other options for the closer role.

            "It's not a clear-cut thing at this time. ... We'll see what we
            can do to straighten him out," Manuel said.

            Alomar, playing his second game since being obtained from the
            New York Mets for three prospects, went 2-for-3 and drove in
            Chicago's first two runs with a two-out, bases-loaded single off
            Victor Zambrano in the second. He is 3-for-8 since joining the
            White Sox on Wednesday.

            Aubrey Huff had two of Tampa Bay's eight hits off Colon, who
            took a five-hit shutout into the seventh and had only allowed one
            runner past second before Julio Lugo hit his third homer of the
            season.

            Colon was lifted after singles by the next two batters, Crawford
            and Rocco Baldelli. Reliever Damaso Marte struck out Huff to get
            out of the inning. Marte pitched a perfect eighth before turning
            the game over to Koch.

            Both of Chicago's runs off Zambrano were unearned, and he
            allowed four hits in eight innings.

            Huff singled off Colon with two outs in the first and doubled
            with one out in the fourth. Javier Valentin and Lugo singled for
            Tampa Bay with two outs in the fifth, but Colon fanned Crawford.

            Zambrano limited Chicago to three hits through six innings, but
            got into trouble in the second when he walked Daubach and Joe
            Crede, loading the bases after Carl Everett's reached on an error.

            Alomar lined a single to right to drive in Everett and Daubach
            for a 2-0 lead. His pair of singles were the only hits off Zambrano
            until Jose Valentin singled with two outs in the fifth.

            Tampa Bay won in dramatic fashion for the second straight game.
            Martin hit a two-run homer in the eighth, and Marlon Anderson's RBI
            single in the 10th gave the Devil Rays a 6-5 victory over Boston on
            Thursday night.

            "We don't draw it up like that, it just happens," Crawford
            said. "We just try to play hard and keep it close as long as we
            can. If we keep it close, we feel we can come back."

            Game notes
            Daubach homered for the third straight game. ... Zambrano
            had four of Tampa Bay's five wins in June, allowing 11 earned runs
            and 23 hits in 42 innings. ... Chicago's Frank Thomas walked in the
            third inning, moving ahead of Hall of Famer Willie McCovey for 26th
            on the career list with 1,346. ... Devil Rays LHP Joe Kennedy (left
            shoulder inflammation) made a rehab start for Triple-A Durham
            Friday night. He allowed one run and six hits in 6 1-3 innings
            against Richmond.