Devil Rays Win! Devil Rays Win!

No one could have blamed the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for feeling awkward. They hadn't won in so long that they nearly forgot how to celebrate.

"We

Rothschild, who was the pitching coach with the Florida Marlins last season, even joked that if felt like he hadn't been part of a win since the seventh game of the World Series.

"It seems like an extra long time because of the All-Star break," the manager said. "We've been in every game and had a chance to win a lot of them. At some point we're going to learn how to get the extra hit in those games, and we'll be a much different team."

Miguel Cairo's ninth-inning single drove in the winning run as the Devil Rays won for the first time since June 28. They were shut out five times during their losing streak, which tied the high in the majors this season.

Cairo lined a pitch from Carlos Reyes up the middle after Bobby Smith singled and Paul Sorrento doubled off Ron Mahay (1-1). Sorrento's double was a line shot that appeared to go between the legs of first baseman Mo Vaughn.

"I don't know where it was hit," Vaughn said. "As soon as I turne around it was by me. I'm just glad I didn't get killed."

Sorrento, who had four hits, also homered off Bret Saberhagen for Tampa Bay's first run in the fifth inning. Albie Lopez (5-2) pitched two innings to get the victory.

The loss was the fourth in five games since the All-Star break for the Red Sox, who led 3-0 before Saberhagen gave up Sorrento's homer and three more runs in the sixth.

"It's frustrating to lose. They had lost 11 straight, and they haven't been getting runs when they've been getting guys in scoring position. For me not to shut them down in those particular situations, it's a little frustrating," Saberhagen said.

"We've lost two games to those guys this year, and both the games we've lost, I pitched in. That doesn't sit well with me."

Nomar Garciaparra scored from first base when center fielder Randy Winn misplayed Vaughn's first-inning single for an error. Mike Benjamin drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second and Darren Lewis added a RBI double in the fifth as Boston built its early lead.

The Devil Rays, who hit .206 as a team during their losing streak, didn't show any signs of life offensively until Sorrento homered with two out in the fifth.

The real breakthrough came in the sixth.

Mike DiFelice led off the inning with a single. After Kevin Stocker popped to short, Winn singled starting a string of four straight hits that chased Saberhagen.

"You want to stay aggressive," Sorrento said. "I would say this takes the monkey off our backs, but it felt more like a gorilla."

The last three hits of the rally -- singles by Wade Boggs, Quinton McCracken and Dave Martinez -- drove in runs for a 4-3 lead that proved to be shortlived.

The Red Sox loaded the bases with none out in the seventh on a walk, an error and Damon Buford's bunt single before tying the game 4-4 when Lewis grounded into a double play.

"We had some opportunities to win this game. We didn't cash in," Vaughn said. "But this team won't get down. We'll continue to play hard. ... We've just got to get it started again."

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