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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Steve Cox didn't hit for the cycle, happily settling for a single, double and a grand slam that helped the Tampa Bay Devil Rays cool the Toronto Blue Jays.
|  | | Steve Cox and Co. celebrate his grand slam in the fourth inning ... and the rout was on. |
"I have no chance of hitting a triple," the rookie, not noted
for his speed, said after Tuesday night's 11-1 victory stopped
Toronto's season-high, five-game winning streak. "No chance."
Cox hit his fourth homer off Kelvim Escobar (6-9) and Fred
McGriff went 3-for-3 with three RBI for the Devil Rays, who
assured themselves of their second winning month in club history.
At 14-9, Tampa Bay has the same record in June as the Blue Jays,
who vaulted over New York and Boston into the AL East lead during
their winning streak. With one more victory, the Devil Rays -- 16-12
in August 1999 -- will guarantee their best winning percentage for
one month.
"Any time you go into a series, I think it's important to get
that first game. It means you just have to take one out of two
(remaining) to win the series," Cox said. "Against them, a team
in first place, you get that confidence booster. You get our bats
going, it's going to be fun."
Steve Trachsel (6-7) allowed seven hits, struck out one and walked four in six innings to win for the third time in four
decisions. He worked out of jams in each of the first three innings
and departed after throwing 103 pitches.
Devil Rays pitchers halted the Blue Jays' club-record stretch of
23 consecutive games with at least one homer -- two shy of the major
league record -- with Rick White, Tanyon Sturtze and Jim Mecir each
working one inning in relief.
Carlos Delgado went 2-for-4, extending his career-high hitting
streak to 20 games, and Brad Fullmer drove in a run with a
third-inning sacrifice fly for the Blue Jays, who had hit multiple
homers in eight straight games -- one short of the major league
mark.
Cox, whose three hits were a career-high, homered off Escobar
during a seven-run fourth inning. McGriff singled with the bases
loaded to drive in two runs in the first and also had a RBI single
off Escobar in the fourth.
McGriff's perfect night gave him nine hits in 11 at-bats. He's
7-for-11 against Escobar, who allowed nine runs and nine hits in 3
1-3 innings. Ozzie Guillen drove in Tampa Bay's last two runs with a sixth-inning single off Matt DeWitt.
Toronto stranded seven runners in the first three innings, yet
only trailed 2-1 before Tampa Bay broke open the game in the fourth
with help from an error by rookie shortstop Chris Woodward, subbing
for the injured Alex Gonzalez.
Bobby Smith singled, Jose Guillen doubled and Ozzie Guillen
walked to load the bases with no outs in the Devil Rays fourth. After Escobar struck out Felix Martinez, the right-hander got Randy Winn to hit a sharp grounder to shortstop that should have led to an inning-ending double play.
But Woodward booted the grounder, allowing Smith to score. Two pitches later, Cox homered to make it 7-1 and give Tampa Bay grand slams in consecutive games for the first time in franchise history.
"I just missed it. It just didn't go in my glove. Obviously, it was the turning point of the game," Woodward said. "If I make that play it's what, 2-1? It just got out of hand right after that."
Jose Guillen hit a grand slam in Tampa Bay's loss to Texas on
Sunday. Cox's slam was the fourth by a Devil Ray this season,
surpassing the club record of three set in 1998.
Game notes
The first inning has been troublesome for Escobar. In seven
starts since May 19, 16 of the 30 runs he's allowed have come in
the opposition's first at bat ... McGriff's 57 RBIs are the second
most he's ever had at this point in a season. In 1996, he had 63 on
his way to a career-high 107. He's driven in 15 runs in his last 14
games ... Trachsel made his team-high 17th start for Tampa Bay. He
hasn't missed a scheduled turn on the mound since his ending his
only stay on the disabled list in August 1994. That was 180 starts
ago ... The Devil Rays have homered in seven straight games, tying
a club record accomplished twice last year.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Tampa Bay Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 6
Boston 3
Detroit 7
NY Yankees 6
Tampa Bay 11
Toronto 1
Minnesota 7
Chi. White Sox 4
Cleveland 12
Kansas City 1
Oakland 7
Texas 6
Seattle 5
Anaheim 3
Montreal 6
Atlanta 4
Pittsburgh 6
Chicago Cubs 0
NY Mets 5
Florida 2
St. Louis 4
Cincinnati 3
Philadelphia 7
Milwaukee 0
San Francisco 12
Colorado 7
Houston 12
Arizona 4
Los Angeles 5
San Diego 4
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