By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, April 22, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Sacrifice flies are far from flashy, and they won't make many SportsCenter highlight reels.

But they score runs, and they were the story in the Rays' 6-2 win over the Twins on Sunday in front of 26,507 at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay set a club record with four sacrifice flies, one shy of the single-game major-league record, in picking up its fourth win in its past five games.

"From the spectators' perspective, it's one of the most boring plays in all of baseball," manager Joe Maddon said. "But from a dugout perspective, it's very exciting. I cannot tell you how exciting it is to see that."

Maddon might have been exaggerating a bit; the Rays dugout wasn't exactly exploding with enthusiasm. But centerfielder B.J. Upton pointed out that since spring training, the No. 1 thing on hitters' lists was doing better at scoring a runner from third with less than two outs. It's something the Rays have struggled with, so a "productive out," as Ben Zobrist calls a sacrifice fly, was much appreciated, considering Tampa Bay had a 2-0 lead in the fourth before getting their first hit off left-hander Francisco Liriano.

"I got to thinking about has there ever been a no-hitter and a loss?" third baseman Evan Longoria said. "Either way, we're going to have to do those kind of plays to win games. We're not a team that really is going to be able to rely on a three-run home run to win a whole lot of games."

That was more than enough support for right-hander Jeff Niemann, who picked up his first win of the season, allowing just two runs and three hits over 5? innings. It came one day after Niemann said he got "chills" watching former Rice University teammate Phil Humber throw a perfect game Saturday for the White Sox.

"For a minute there, I didn't think it was going to be real," Niemann said. "It was fun seeing him go out there and do that. He put some pressure on me to do something myself."

Niemann did his best Humber impression early on, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth until Clete Thomas broke it up with a single with two outs.

"It was weird, just with what Humber did the day before, and us being in college for three years together, pitching behind each other, it just kind of was almost, 'Here it goes again,' " Niemann said. "It was fun."

Some strong bullpen work by Jake McGee, who struck out Justin Morneau with the bases loaded in the fifth, and Fernando Rodney, who has finished all but one of the Rays' wins, made the lead stick.

The Rays (9-7) started with two sacrifice flies in the third inning, when they loaded the bases with no outs before getting RBI flyouts by Desmond Jennings and Zobrist. In the fourth, Longoria doubled off the B-ring catwalk, advanced to third on a Jeff Keppinger flyout and scored on an Upton sacrifice fly to left, his first of two in the game. The Mariners were the last team to have as many sacrifice flies, recording five April 15, 2008, against the Royals.

"A sacrifice fly goes down as an RBI and no plate appearance," said Jennings, who also hit a two-run homer. "So it's a plus on both sides."

Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith@tampabay.com.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Both play positions of need for Tampa Bay.

But something few have considered is the possibility of another elite prospect being among players the Bucs will seriously consider with the No. 5 overall pick: potential franchise left tackle Matt Kalil of USC.

There are strong suggestions in NFL circles suggesting that Kalil is not a lock with the Vikings' No. 3 pick, creating a scenario where he could wind up with the Bucs.

Insiders point to Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon and Claiborne as possibilities for the Vikings, and Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman on Thursday said that duo, along with Kalil, are ranked equally by the team.

It's not a ridiculous notion.

"Minnesota needs a left tackle, but they have a need at wide receiver, they have a big need at corner," ESPN analyst Mel Kiper said. "They have nobody at corner, and they're in a division with (quarterbacks Matt) Stafford, (Jay) Cutler and (Aaron) Rodgers, so you'd better have some corners."

"I would say Morris Claiborne could jump in there."

If the Vikings pass on Kalil, the Browns are likely to pass at No. 4 because they have elite left tackle Joe Thomas, the third overall pick in the 2007 draft.

Which leads to the Bucs at No. 5.

Yes, it's hypothetical. But don't think the Bucs haven't explored the possibility. It's possible they would take Kalil despite offensive line being a strength.

Why would Tampa Bay do this? There are multiple justifications.

For one, the franchise, from ownership on down, has consistently said that helping quarterback Josh Freeman succeed is the highest priority. There are few better ways to do that than to lock up what experts project to be a possible All-Pro left tackle in Kalil.

"Matt Kalil has a chance to be a top 5 tackle when it's all said and done," ESPN analyst Todd McShay said.

But what about the Bucs' current tackles, Donald Penn (left) and Jeremy Trueblood (right)? The team likes both players, but if the Bucs agree Kalil is elite, several factors would motivate them to select him.

Primarily, the issue is upside. Picking Kalil would not necessarily represent an indictment of Penn and Trueblood. It would, instead, be a forward-looking decision. Left tackle is one of the most difficult positions to fill because good ones rarely become available via free agency.

If the Bucs were able to solidify the position for years to come, that would have a positive long-term effect.

Penn, a 2010 Pro Bowl selection who turns 29 this week, has four years and more than $22 million remaining on his contract. But the guarantees in his deal have already been paid, meaning there are few financial consequences for his release. And Penn wasn't at his best in 2011, when he failed to keep his weight in check.

It's less likely Kalil would play right tackle because of his demonstrated ability at the more valuable left tackle position. But if the Bucs are open to that, Trueblood is in the final year of a two-year contract and the future of the position is uncertain.

There are positions of greater need for a team that finished 4-12 in 2011? But there might not be a pick of greater value than Kalil, depending on where the team has him ranked.

General manager Mark Dominik is keeping an open mind about all his picks.

"I don't want to pigeon-hole us," he said, "because that's not the way we're looking at our draft right now."

By Tim Whitfield, Times Correspondent


Sunday, April 22, 2012

What's hot: The last few days the best inshore bite has been on the incoming tide. As the tide bottoms out, set up near the potholes around the mangroves and prepare for catches of snook, redfish and massive seatrout.

Bait: Pilchards are working best. As the water level rises, the game fish move toward the mangroves for shade and safety. Chumming is necessary to draw them to the edge to get a shot at the desired species.

Gear/tactics: Bump up to a 25- to 30-pound fluorocarbon leader, as it is difficult to horse a 15-pound snook out from the roots with a 20-pound leader.

Also: Whitebait are on most flats and under nearly every bridge, and the game fish love them. That said, you can fool quite a few fish using scented baits and the right techniques. Just like fishing whitebait on the edges of the mangroves, a well-placed scented bait, jerk worm-style, tossed on the edge will draw lots of strikes. The technique is fairly simple: toss the bait to the edge of the mangroves, give it five to 20 seconds to soak, begin a retrieve, catch fish and repeat.

Tim Whitfield can be reached at (813) 714-0889 or tim@swiftfishcharters.com.

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

MIAMI — All signs point to the Dolphins picking Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill at No. 8 overall.

But what if the Dolphins surprise? Who then?

Here is a name to keep in mind just in case: Fletcher Cox, a 6-foot-4, 298-pound Mississippi State defensive lineman.

Like Tannehill, he could fill a need because the Dolphins are looking for pass-rush help and lost Kendall Langford to free agency. Unlike Tannehill, he likely would play right away because he was dominant in the SEC and is considered NFL-ready.

Cox is a three-down player who bench-pressed 225 pounds 40 times at the NFL combine. And he's only 21 years old.

Cox is not a hot topic in the guru realm. The experts on NFL Network and ESPN don't include him in conversations about top-of-the-round picks.

But teams know about Cox. The Jaguars, picking seventh, might select him if they don't trade down. And the Dolphins love him.

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland said last week that he already knows Miami's pick. But it's no certainty Cox and Tannehill will be available.

"I have a pretty good feeling at what I want at eight," Ireland said. "If the player is not there at eight, I have got a pretty good idea of what I want if that player is not there. You have to have a contingency plan and a contingency plan to the contingency plan."

Steelers' Wallace to wait: Steelers free agent receiver Mike Wallace doesn't plan to accept a one-year, $2.7 million tender offer "until he has to," ESPN reported. Wallace could miss up to 10 weeks of the regular season, then sign for a prorated base salary and become an unrestricted free agent in 2013.

Trial starts today: Amy Senser, wife of former Vikings tight end Joe Senser, has admitted being behind the wheel of her husband's sport utility vehicle in August when it struck a man on a highway exit ramp, killing him. But much of what happened that night is disputed, including whether she knew she hit someone. Jury selection begins today in the criminal vehicular homicide trial that has captured headlines as attorneys sparred over everything from why she waited more than a week to come forward to whether she was drinking or talking on her cellphone.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, April 22, 2012

The situation

If there's one unit the Bucs feel good about, it's offensive line. Three of their starters have been to the Pro Bowl, now that the unit has been bolstered by Saints free agent guard Carl Nicks. Along with right guard Davin Joseph, the Bucs arguably have the best pair of guards in the league.

The whole interior of the offensive line is a strength when you factor in center Jeremy Zuttah, the recipient of a contract extension and the successor to longtime center Jeff Faine, who has been released. Zuttah is considered a more natural center than guard, after playing mostly the latter.

At left tackle, Donald Penn returns after regressing a bit last season, perhaps because of an ongoing weight issue. But he still is considered the answer at the critical position that protects the blindside of quarterback Josh Freeman.

Right tackle Jeremy Trueblood is in a contract year, and the team's decision on keeping him beyond 2012 likely depends on how he performs in the fall.

The team has some key backups, including Ted Larsen of Palm Harbor. He essentially takes over the role often held by Zuttah in recent seasons, the primary backup for all three interior positions.

Tackles Demar Dotson and Derek Hardman are the next two linemen in the pecking order and could battle in camp to decide who is first off the bench.

What they're looking for

The Bucs don't figure to look for offensive line help in the early rounds. But depth and competition are essential up front, and the team is always looking for good offensive line pickups.

Judging by the vibes from players and coaches, the team will lean toward tough, run-blocking types.

Fitting the bill

A possible middle-round choice who is regarded for his toughness and run blocking is Auburn tackle Brandon Mosley. He has played left and right tackle, but could play on the right in the NFL.

While not necessarily the ideal fit for the team, Rutgers guard Desmond Wynn was recruited by and played for Bucs coach Greg Schiano in college. Wynn started 25 straight games for the Scarlet Knights.

The top 10

Best guess

The Bucs aren't likely to select an offensive lineman in the early rounds unless a premier player — like Kalil — unexpectedly falls to them. It's more likely they will look for later-round steals to augment what they currently have.

Stephen F. Holder, Times staff writer

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Orioles 3, Angels 2

10 innings

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Nick Markakis hit a two-run single in the eighth and a run-scoring single in the 10th after manager Buck Showalter was ejected for arguing balls and strikes during Markakis' sixth-inning at-bat. "Those were big hits by Nicky with a lot of adversity there," Showalter said. "It shows we can certainly win without me around."

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Astros 12, Dodgers 0

HOUSTON — Jordan Schafer hit his first career grand slam — a shot that bounced off the glove of rightfielder Andre Ethier — Wandy Rodriguez pitched three-hit ball through seven and the Astros handed the Dodgers their most-lopsided shutout loss since June 2004 (13-0, Angels).

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Athletics 5, Indians 1

OAKLAND, Calif. — Tyson Ross got his first win in nearly a year, allowing a run and four hits in 6⅓ innings on his 25th birthday. "I'm kind of picking up where I left off before the injury last year," said Ross, who did not pitch in the majors last season after May 20 because of a strained left oblique. "I've seen his confidence grow since spring training," manager Bob Melvin said. "It's a mind-set that says 'Here it comes.' "

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Rockies 4, Brewers 1

MILWAUKEE — Michael Cuddyer hit a two-run double in the eighth off Francisco Rodriguez for his second huge hit for the Rockies in the weekend series. "A man in scoring position in a 1-1 game — the worst that could happen is you fail. It happens a lot," said Cuddyer, who had the go-ahead RBI single in the ninth off closer John Axford on Friday. "You have got to relish those opportunities."

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Reds 4, Cubs 3

CHICAGO — Johnny Cueto threw 6⅓ innings in the wind and cold, allowing one earned run to lower his ERA to 1.78. "He can make the ball sink, he can get it to 94 mph," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "In these conditions against those pitchers (reliever Aroldis Chapman), it's very tough to string a lot of hits together."

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Diamondbacks 6, Braves 4

PHOENIX — Gerardo Parra hit his first career grand slam to cap a five-run second and the Diamondbacks ended a five-game skid. Parra was starting in the unfamiliar territory of center with the absence of Chris Young and finished with two hits and a stolen base. "I feel comfortable anytime I see myself in the lineup," Parra said. "I'll play anywhere as long as I get to play."

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

White Sox 7, Mariners 4

SEATTLE — Alex Rios had three hits and three RBIs as the White Sox completed a three-game sweep. Rios hit a tying, two-run triple in the sixth, then scored on a sacrifice fly to put the Sox ahead for good. Rios added an RBI single in the eighth. "I want to swing at good pitches, have a good approach," he said. The Sox have won 19 of the past 22 meetings with the Mariners.

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Padres 6, Phillies 1

SAN DIEGO — Nick Hundley, who began the season in an 0-for-21 slump, homered, tripled and drove in a career-high four runs. Hundley has hit safely in six of his past seven games, going 10-for-26 over that stretch. "I don't think my swing ever left," he said. "I think my approach and my mental state was terrible early on. I think my swing was okay, I just had to keep battling."

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Cardinals 5, Pirates 1

PITTSBURGH — Kyle Lohse scattered six hits while pitching into the eighth, getting support from David Freese (two-run single) and Rafael Furcal (three hits). Lohse struck out five without issuing a walk, though his ERA actually ticked up from 0.89 to 0.99. "Man, he's unreal," Freese said of Lohse. "I've heard other guys say that when he hits his spots, he's one of the toughest in the game to string some hits together. And he's showing it, for sure."

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Blue Jays 5, Royals 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ricky Romero won his third straight start and Brett Lawrie stole home and drove in two, sending the Royals to their 10th straight loss. "When you throw strikes and pound the zone, you keep the hitters swinging, let the defense work and get some quick innings … and the next thing you know you find yourself in the eighth," Romero said.

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

DETROIT — Alberto Gonzalez squared to bunt, hoping to drive in the go-ahead run on a squeeze play. The ball hit his bat and glanced off his right leg before bouncing off the ground and out toward the pitcher. Then the Rangers caught a break.

Instead of being called a foul ball, Gonzalez's bunt went for an RBI infield single in the 11th, lifting the Rangers to a 3-2 victory Sunday over the Tigers.

Gonzalez admitted after the game that the ball hit him around the knee. "As soon as he hit the ball and saw the ball was fair, he didn't stop himself," Gonzalez's translator said. "He was trying to go to first base. He knew the job was done."

Right-hander Thad Weber, making his major-league debut, had no play at the plate on runner Nelson Cruz.

"The ball clearly hit him, and four guys (umpires) happened to miss it. That's part of the game," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, who argued to no avail.

Times staff, wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

TALLAHASSEE — Former Alonso High standout Sherman Johnson's single in the 10th inning scored Giovanny Alfonzo, giving Florida State an 8-7 come-from-behind victory over Miami on Sunday.

The Seminoles (33-7, 19-2 ACC), ranked No. 1 by Baseball America, trailed by as many as three but chipped away at the No. 18 Hurricanes (26-14, 12-9), scoring two in the sixth and one in the seventh to force extra innings.

Alfonzo led off the 10th with a single off E.J. Encinosa for his first collegiate hit. After the freshman stole second and Seth Miller was hit by a pitch, Johnson singled through the right side of the infield for the winner.

FSU swept the regular-season series from Miami for the first time since 2002 and for the first time in Tallahassee since 2000. "It's awesome," Johnson said. "Any time you can sweep Miami, which hasn't been done in a while, is awesome."

Robert Benincasa (Armwood) got the win with two innings of three-hit relief, striking out three to improve to 4-0.

MORE BASEBALL: USF's Derrick Stultz (Wharton) scattered six hits over eight innings in a 5-1 win over visiting Louisville, keeping the Bulls (27-14, 11-4 Big East) tied atop the conference. A two-run single by Jimmy Falla (Jesuit) in the sixth broke the game open for USF, which faces Florida, ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll, at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Gainesville. … Daniel Pigott's three-run homer snapped a tie and lifted UF (31-9, 11-7 SEC) to a 6-3 win over visiting Georgia.

USF women, men fall in finals

TAMPA — USF's women's and men's tennis teams lost their Big East tournament finals at the Varsity Courts. The top seed Notre Dame women, in the final for a 17th straight season, made it five championships in a row with a 4-1 victory, and the Louisville men won 4-2 for a third straight title.

More TENNIS: The top-seeded Florida women defeated Georgia 4-1 in Oxford, Miss., for the Gators' third straight SEC tournament title and 18th overall in the 26 years of the event. UF (21-1) advances to the NCAA championships. The 64-team field is announced May 1.

Football: Maryland offensive lineman Max Garcia has transferred to Florida. Garcia had visited Wisconsin, Georgia, Ole Miss and USC. The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder started 12 games at left tackle last season. He will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out this season.

SOFTBALL: Freshman Maddie O'Brien (Palm Harbor) went 2-for-4 with two homers and two RBIs to lead FSU (42-11, 15-3 ACC) to a sweep of visiting Boston College, 2-0 and 5-0.

Gymnastics: Florida freshman Kytra Hunter won the vault at the NCAA championships in Duluth, Ga. She won the all-around title Friday.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, April 22, 2012

tom jones' two cents

Tampa Bay Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.

Worst weather

Bad break for ESPN and baseball fans Sunday when the series finale between the Red Sox and Yankees was rained out. What a juicy story line with the struggling Red Sox blowing a nine-run lead Saturday and new manager Bobby Valentine being booed by the fans and criticized by his players. It would have been incredibly interesting to hear what ESPN Sunday Night Baseball analyst and former Red Sox skipper Terry Francona had to say about the mess in Boston.

There is already talk Valentine's job is in jeopardy, but Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan isn't blaming Valentine.

"They aren't very good,'' Ryan said of the team on ESPN's Sports Reporters on Sunday. "And he was handed a bad roster, period.''

New York Daily News columnist Mike Lupica said, "They talk like they are still champions of the world.''

Lupica astutely pointed out that the Red Sox haven't won a postseason game since Game 6 of the 2008 American League Championship Series against the Rays.

Biggest missing piece

Seems no NFL team wants to be on HBO's Hard Knocks. The Falcons are the latest team to turn down an offer to be on the show that highlights one team during training camp. Several other teams, including the Jets, also said no, according to reports.

A part of me understands why teams aren't interested. The show can be a distraction, and in the ultraparanoid, extremely secretive NFL, teams don't want anyone (i.e. other teams) getting a peek inside their organization.

HBO might be forced to go to a below-average team with not much personality that wants the publicity, such as the Jaguars, Bills or Browns.

The team we would like to see? The Broncos, although we might be sick of Denver by season's end. The Broncos, with new quarterback Peyton Manning, will appear in prime time five times this season, including the season opener against the Steelers and a Monday Night Football matchup against the Falcons in Week 2.

After last season's coverage of Tim Tebow and this season's coverage of Manning, the Broncos have become the NFL's most-followed franchise.

tom jones' two cents

Three things that popped into my head

1. I hate to say it, but I don't think Seattle's Brendan Ryan swung on the 3-and-2 pitch that gave the White Sox's Phil Humber a perfect game Saturday.

2. It's a cliche, but the post-series handshake in the Stanley Cup playoffs really is one of the best traditions in sports, maybe the best.

3. The Angels' Albert Pujols comes to town this week with no homers in 16 games and 65 at-bats, the longest drought to start a season in his 12-year career. I don't know if that's really good news or really bad news for the Rays.

Best interview

Last week in this space, I said networks should drop in-game interviews with coaches and managers because no one ever says anything interesting. I stand corrected. During Saturday's Yankees-Red Sox game on Fox, the Yankees were trailing 7-0 when Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, "A lot of runs can be scored very quickly here because of that wall in leftfield. And there have been some strange things that have happened in this park.''

The Yankees came back to win 15-9.

Worst use of split screen

Most of the country, including those of us in the Tampa Bay area, got the Yankees-Red Sox game on Saturday's Fox Game of the Week. Smartly, Fox switched to the White Sox-Mariners game in the ninth inning as Chicago's Phil Humber went after a perfect game. Well, at first the switch was only partway. At the time, the Red Sox led the Yankees 9-1, and yet Fox decided to split the screen and put both games up at the same time. True, the Yankees were just starting their comeback that ended with a 15-9 victory, but come on, we're talking about a perfect game. Before Saturday, there had been only 20 ever in major-league history.

After Humber got the first out in the ninth, someone at Fox finally wised up and put the perfect game on the screen by itself.

Since I'm complaining, why didn't Fox go to that game as early as the seventh or eighth inning, at least while the Mariners were batting?

Best addition

When NBC lost the television rights for Wimbledon to ESPN last summer, some fans — if they were like me — were disappointed because it meant we might not be able to hear John McEnroe, top right, the best tennis analyst on TV, during the best tournament of the year. But good news: ESPN announced last week that McEnroe will serve as lead analyst for Wimbledon. If we're lucky (and ESPN is smart), McEnroe will be teamed with his brother Patrick, bottom right.

McEnroe also will continue to work for CBS and ESPN during the U.S. Open, and he said he would be interested in doing more with ESPN besides tennis. (Advice to ESPN: Take McEnroe up on his offer.)

Speaking of McEnroe, he gave an interesting interview to USA Today last week in which he longed for the days when players were emotional like he was. And he had a cool suggestion: get rid of the linesmen and let players call their own lines. If there's an argument, players would have the option of replay challenges.

"It would make it more personal and bring out their personalities," McEnroe told the paper. "Fans could get on players making bad calls. Everybody could relate to it."

Best event

How can anyone watch the Stanley Cup playoffs and not consider it one of the best sporting events of the year? The first round isn't even over and already we've seen more drama, passion and excitement than is normally seen during the entire NBA playoffs.

Upsets in the first round of the NBA playoffs are rare. In the NHL, they've become routine. Look at this season's Eastern Conference. The top seed Rangers are down 3-2 in their best-of-seven series with the Senators. The second seed and defending Cup champion Bruins barely stayed alive with a Game 6 overtime victory against the Capitals on Sunday. The fourth seed Penguins were eliminated by the Flyers on Sunday.

Speaking of the Penguins, since winning the Cup in 2009, they are 12-14 over the past three postseasons and have won only one of the four series they've played despite being the fourth seed all three seasons.

Best change

The NFL draft begins Thursday on ESPN. The draft used to be one of the cooler nongame sporting events of the year. The past few years, however, much of the drama has been stolen because ESPN often reports who is going to picked moments before the pick is announced. ESPN has folks stationed in the area of the players as they get their draft phone call from the teams.

Hey, you can't blame ESPN. It is in the news business, and it is the network's job to break news.

But don't you miss the days when the commissioner stepped up to the microphone and said, "With the fifth pick, the Tampa Bay Bucs select …'' and you heard the name for the first time?

ESPN has agreed not to show the players on the telephone prior to the pick for this year's first round, but don't be surprised if the network's reporters still announce the picks if they know them.

By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, April 22, 2012

Block of the game

Retired NBA center Matt Geiger, a former Countryside High star, racked up more than 3,000 rebounds in his 10-year career. And the 7-footer boxed out 1B Carlos Peña in the eighth inning against the Twins, deflecting what could have been a pop out away from Peña's outstretched glove. Peña reached into the stands along the first-base line for a Josh Willingham popup. Geiger, seated near the front row, reached, too, and the ball bounced off him. The 42-year-old was booed heavily and relocated by security; he was allowed to return to his seat if he wished, the Rays said. The ball wasn't in play. Peña quipped, "He blocked me; one of many in his career."

On deck

Today: Off

Tuesday: vs. Angels, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (2-1, 4.20); Angels — Ervin Santana (0-3, 6.75)

Wednesday: vs. Angels, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (2-0, 3.26); Angels — C.J. Wilson (2-1, 2.37)

Crowd control

The Rays have drawn 175,613 through the first six home games, more than 66,000 more than they drew in the first six home games last year (108,701). It should be noted that this year's six fell on Friday through Sunday, and three of the six last year were Tuesday-Thursday. The Rays have felt the support. Manager Joe Maddon said it was "pro Ray." LHP David Price said on Twitter: "The atmosphere at the trop has been unreal this year!!!! Thank you fans keep it coming!! We feed off of all of you!!!"

Numbers of the day

.083 Batting average of opponents against Rays reliever Fernando Rodney this year (2-for-24).

43 Innings since Rays pitchers have given up a homer, dating to April 18 against Toronto, a stretch that is the team's longest since October 2010 (59⅓ innings).

Award of the day

The Rays honored C/OF Stephen Vogt with their Al Lopez Award, given to the team's top rookie in spring training. Vogt was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Friday, so Al Lopez III and Al Lopez IV presented the award to director of minor-league operations Mitch Lukevics on Vogt's behalf.

First pitch of the day

Twins great and 1964 AL rookie of the year Tony Oliva threw out the ceremonial first pitch Sunday. The eight-time All-Star was here for his induction into the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Rays 6, Twins 2

Minnesota AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Span cf 3 1 1 0 1 0 .328

J.Carroll ss 4 1 2 0 0 0 .246

Mauer c 4 0 0 0 0 1 .295

Willingham lf 2 0 0 0 1 0 .328

Morneau dh 4 0 0 0 0 1 .250

Parmelee 1b 2 0 0 0 0 1 .275

a-Doumit ph-1b 2 0 1 2 0 0 .222

Valencia 3b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .218

C.Thomas rf 4 0 1 0 0 3 .190

A.Casilla 2b 3 0 0 0 0 2 .227

Totals 32 2 5 2 2 10

Tampa Bay AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Jennings lf 3 1 1 3 0 1 .262

Zobrist rf 3 0 0 1 0 2 .189

C.Pena 1b 2 1 0 0 2 1 .304

Longoria 3b 3 1 2 0 1 1 .339

Keppinger dh 4 0 0 0 0 0 .196

B.Upton cf 2 0 0 2 0 0 .250

S.Rodriguez ss 3 1 1 0 1 1 .214

Gimenez c 2 1 1 0 1 1 .385

E.Johnson 2b 2 1 0 0 0 1 .091

Totals 24 6 5 6 5 8

Minnesota 000 002 000— 2 5 0

Tampa Bay 002 120 01x— 6 5 1

a-singled for Parmelee in the 6th.

E—C.Pena (1). LOB—Min. 6, T.B. 4. 2B—Longoria (6). HR—Jennings (2), off Liriano. RBIs—Doumit 2 (8), Jennings 3 (7), Zobrist (7), B.Upton 2 (4). SB—Span (3), Longoria (1), E.Johnson (2). SF—Jennings, Zobrist, B.Upton 2. RISP—Min. 4; T.B. 2. DP—Min. 1; T.B. 1.

Minnesota IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Liriano L, 0-3 5 3 5 5 4 4 86 11.02

Swarzak 2 1 0 0 0 3 27 5.94

Perkins 1 1 1 1 1 1 20 8.53

Tampa Bay IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Niemnn W, 1-2 5L3 2 2 2 5 80 4.11

McGee H, 1L0 0 0 0 1 6 6.00

W.Davis H, 1 1L1 0 0 0 1 16 2.35

Jo.Peralta H, 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 14 11.12

Rodney 1 0 0 0 0 2 13 1.23

HBP—by Liriano (E.Johnson), by Niemann (Willingham). PB—Mauer.T—2:54. A—26,507 (34,078).

How they scored

Rays third.

S.Rodriguez walked. Gimenez walked on four pitches, S.Rodriguez to second. E.Johnson was hit by a pitch, S.Rodriguez to third, Gimenez to second. Jennings hit a sacrifice fly to center fielder Span, S.Rodriguez scored, Gimenez to third. E.Johnson stole second. Zobrist hit a sacrifice fly to left fielder Willingham, Gimenez scored. C.Pena struck out. 2 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Rays 2, Twins 0.

Rays fourth. Longoria doubled to left. Keppinger fouled out to right fielder C.Thomas, Longoria to third. B.Upton hit a sacrifice fly to left fielder Willingham, Longoria scored. S.Rodriguez grounded out, shortstop J.Carroll to first baseman Parmelee. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Rays 3, Twins 0.

Rays fifth. Gimenez singled to left. E.Johnson grounded into fielder's choice, pitcher Liriano to shortstop J.Carroll, Gimenez out. Jennings homered to left on a 0-1 count, E.Johnson scored. Zobrist struck out. C.Pena walked. Longoria struck out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Rays 5, Twins 0.

Twins sixth. Span singled to right. J.Carroll singled to center, Span to third. Mauer popped out to third baseman Longoria. Willingham was hit by a pitch, J.Carroll to second. McGee pitching. Morneau struck out. Doumit pinch-hitting for Parmelee. W.Davis pitching. Doumit singled to center, Span scored, J.Carroll scored, Willingham to second. Valencia grounded into fielder's choice, shortstop S.Rodriguez to third baseman Longoria, Willingham out, Doumit to second. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Rays 5, Twins 2.

Rays eighth. Perkins pitching. C.Pena walked. On Mauer's passed ball, C.Pena to second. Longoria singled to center, C.Pena to third. Keppinger flied out to center fielder Span. B.Upton hit a sacrifice fly to right fielder C.Thomas, C.Pena scored. Longoria stole second. S.Rodriguez struck out. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Rays 6, Twins 2.

Times wires
Sunday, April 22, 2012

BOSTON — First the Red Sox lost Friday as Fenway celebrated its 100th anniversary. Then Boston blew a nine-run lead Saturday and lost to the Yankees 15-9.

But believe it or not, then things got better, at least for manager Bobby Valentine.

Sunday the series finale was rained out, saving Valentine the awkwardness of having the manager he replaced, Terry Francona, call the game as the analyst for ESPN's scheduled broadcast.

But more important, shortly after Saturday's debacle, GM Ben Cherington, team president Larry Lucchino and principal owner John Henry met with Valentine for 30 minutes and said they weren't blaming him for the 4-10 start.

"This is not a 14-game problem," Henry was quoted as saying by CBSSports.com. "This is a 41-game problem (dating to the Red Sox's 7-20 collapse in September 2011). Our pitching has been terrible over the last 41 regular-season games."

Said Cherington, "The players will always influence wins and losses more than anybody else, and that's no different here. (Valentine is) doing the best he can with the roster he has. It'll get better. He knows that, and I know that, and along the way, if changes need to be made on the roster, that's my responsibility."

Cherington said he is "very satisfied" with Valentine.

"It's been a tough week. If I had to rate them all, this is one of the toughest," Valentine said Sunday. "When you're 4-10, it's not easy to say that everything is going perfectly. But I think they're good players, high quality, and we're going to win a lot of games."

The Red Sox, who have lost five in a row, open a seven-game road trip to Minnesota and Chicago today. No makeup date with the Yankees was announced.

"They've bounced back before," Valentine said. "This is a psychological situation. You've got to be tough. I think we're a tough team. We'll find out."

Daniel Bard, who was to start Sunday's game, will skip his turn and work out of the bullpen in relief temporarily. When the team needs a fifth starter, it will be Bard, Valentine said.

Other rainouts: The Giants game in New York against the Mets was postponed because of rain and rescheduled as part of a single-admission doubleheader today beginning at 4:10 p.m. The Mets will push starter Johan Santana to Tuesday, so Miguel Batista will make a spot start against Giants ace Tim Lincecum in Game 1, and Madison Bumgarner will start against Dillon Gee in Game 2. In Washington, the series finale between the Nationals and Marlins was called; no makeup date was scheduled.

Humber back to work: White Sox RHP Phil Humber, who threw the 21st perfect game in major-league history Saturday, returned each of the 100-plus text messages he received and listened to all the phone calls of congratulations before falling asleep by 1:30 a.m. Sunday. But Sunday morning he was back to his usual poststart routine preparing for his start Thursday against Boston. "I've got to pitch in four days. It's not like the season is over and you can kind of just go home and think about it," Humber said.

Blue Jays: Francisco Cordero will serve as closer with Sergio Santos going on the DL after being diagnosed with shoulder inflammation.

Cardinals: CF John Jay will return to St. Louis to have his sprained right shoulder re-examined.

Padres: INF/OF Kyle Blanks will have season-ending surgery on his left shoulder, the second time he has had a year cut short by a major operation. He tore his labrum while swinging a bat. Blanks, 25, had elbow ligament replacement surgery that ended his 2010 season.

Tigers: RHP Doug Fister, on the 15-day DL since April 8 with a left side strain, said he didn't have a timetable for his recovery.

Twins: RHP Nick Blackburn (right shoulder) will rejoin the rotation and pitch Tuesday against Boston.