Devil Rays Hang On To 9-7 Win

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays almost turned a blowout into a loss.

"We did just about everything we could do to give it away," Tampa Bay manager Larry Rothschild after the Devil Rays nearly blew a seven-run lead Thursday, hanging on to beat the Chicago White Sox 9-7.

Bubba Trammell hit a three-run homer and Jose Guillen had a two-run shot as the Devil Rays built an 8-1 lead after five innings.

"Our team all year has been that type of team that has pretty much played until the last out," Chicago manager Jerry Manuel said. "That's one good trait about this team they keep coming at you."

Chicago almost scored more. Trailing 9-5 in the eighth, Chris Singleton was thrown out attempting to steal third base with no outs and two on.

"That was not the type of baseball we're accustomed to," said Manuel, who met privately with Singleton after the game. "I'm sure he understands that at this point."

Trammell homered during a four-run, fifth-inning and Guillen, acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a four-player trade on July 23, hit his first Tampa Bay homer in the fourth.

"I'm forgetting what happened in Pittsburgh," Guillen said. "Right now I just want to start my new career here. I've got a new uniform right now and have to try to do everything I can to help win."

Tampa Bay has won nine of 12 and improved to 14-10 in August. The Devil Rays need just one win in their next four games to record for first winning month.

"Today we won with our bats," Rothschild said. "We've won a couple games when he didn't play well, which isn't all that comforting, but you need to win some games like that."

Tapa Bay's Wade Boggs went 2-for-4, raising his hits total to 3,010 with an RBI double in the fifth and an infield single in the eighth. He also had a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Chicago's Magglio Ordonez surpassed the 100-RBI mark for the first time in his career with a two-run double in the seventh, giving him a team-best 101 RBIs.

Carlos Lee added three RBIs for the White Sox, who loss for just the fifth time in 15 games.

Lee, who had seven RBIs in the four-game series, hit a two-run double in the sixth inning.

Rick White (5-2) replaced Tampa Bay starter Dave Eiland, who left with a strained left hip with two outs in the third inning. White allowed three runs and five hits in three innings.

"That's my job, to be ready whenever they need me," White said. "Toward the end I was getting tired. You have to be able to step it up another notch and find another level of energy to keep it going."

Roberto Hernandez pitched the ninth to convert his 14th consecutive save opportunity since June 30. He has 35 saves in 38 chances this season.

Eiland's injury is not considered serious and he should be ready for his next scheduled start.

Chicago's John Snyder (9-9) was chased after giving up eight runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings. He has allowed five homers in 10 innings during the past two starts.

"I feel bad for the guys because they really came back," Snyder said. "I didn't pitch well. I left some pitches out there and they really hit them hard."

Paul Sorrento snapped an 1-for-15 slump with a first-inning RBI single that put the Devil Rays 1-0.

Jose Canseco made it 2-0 with a run-scoring single in the third. Canseco has seven hits all singles in 20 at-bats and five RBIs since his return last Friday from back surgery.

Chicago's Brook Fordyce hit a two-run homer in the eighth.

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