MLB
  Scores
  Schedules
  Standings
  Statistics
  Transactions
  Injuries: AL | NL
  Players
  Weekly Lineup
  Message Board
  Minor Leagues
  MLB Stat Search

Clubhouses

Sport Sections
  Monday, Aug. 21 8:05pm ET
Williams hits 20th career HR in leadoff spot
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

CHICAGO (AP) -- Gerald Williams became the 25th player in major league history to hit 20 home runs from the leadoff spot. He didn't care.

Williams hit a solo shot in the third inning Monday night as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 11-4.

Gerald Williams
Gerald Williams isn't preoccupied with statistics. "I'm just a player who wants to play," he said.

"I'm not disrespecting the game," said Williams, the 14th AL player to accomplish the feat. "Win the World Series -- the other things, that's not team-oriented."

He knows. He went to the World Series last season with Atlanta.

"There are a lot of guys who evaluate stats," said Williams, who also hit an RBI single in the fifth. "I'm just a player who wants to play."

Tanyon Sturtze (5-2), acquired from the White Sox on May 31, won his third straight start. He allowed one run and five hits in seven innings with six strikeouts and is 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in four starts since joining Tampa Bay.

"I was excited," Sturtze said. "These are guys I played with. You get a lot of feelings for those guys. You want to do a good job."

Felix Martinez hit his second career home run, and Fred McGriff and Bobby Smith each drove in three runs to lead the Devil Rays.

The White Sox, whose 74-51 record is the best in the AL, have lost five of nine and are 10-10 in August and 19-19 since the All-Star break.

Jim Parque (10-5) lost for the third time in four decisions. He gave up six runs -- three earned -- five hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings.

"The worst part is I feel like I've let the entire team down, the organization down," Parque said. "We needed a win today and they were counting on me. I didn't do it."

White Sox manager Jerry Manuel, who has had to juggle his rotation because of injuries, was asked if Parque had mechanical, mental, physical or emotional problems.

"All of the above," Manuel said. "We can ill afford to have this kind of performance continue."

Parque is 2-3 with a 5.67 ERA after the All-Star break and has failed to complete five innings in two of his last three starts. He has walked 17 batters in his last four starts after walking 16 in the previous 10 starts.

"There were times when I had my stuff, when I'd get the guy on three pitches, then boom, I'd be terrible," Parque said. "It's a fact that I tried too hard. I should just go out and not care."

The Devil Rays have scored 23 runs in their last two games after scoring 25 in the previous eight.

"We went through a little bit of a dry period for a while," Tampa Bay manager Larry Rothschild said. "It's nice to get it going."

Smith hit an RBI single with two outs in the first and Williams homered in the third to make it 2-0.

Frank Thomas doubled to start the fourth and scored two outs later on Carlos Lee's double.

Jose Guillen walked to lead off the fifth. Jason Tyner sacrificed and Martinez reached on a throwing error by Parque. Williams singled to score Guillen and, one out later, Vaughn walked to load the bases for McGriff, whose two-run single made it 5-1 and chased Parque.

Vaughn then stole home on a double steal to go ahead 6-1.

Tampa Bay sent 10 batters to the plate in the seventh. Martinez homered off Kevin Beirne leading off, McGriff drew a bases loaded walk to make it 8-1, and Smith greeted Mark Buehrle with a two-run single. One out later, Guillen hit an RBI double.

Jose Valentin tripled with one out in the eighth off Billy Taylor and scored on Thomas' groundout.

Charles Johnson hit a two-run double in the ninth off Doug Creek.

Game notes
Brady Anderson (1996) and Bobby Bonds (1973) share the season record for homers in the No. 1 slot at 35. ... Williams' previous career high was 17 homers, set last year with Atlanta. ... Martinez's other home run was June 4 against the Mets. ... Sturtze was dealt to the Devil Rays for INF Tony Graffanino. ... Chicago RHP Sean Lowe is to make his first start this season Wednesday against Baltimore. Rookie RHP Jon Garland was expected to be placed on the disabled list to open a roster spot for Lowe, 3-1 with a 6.46 ERA.
 


ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard

Tampa Bay Clubhouse

Chi. White Sox Clubhouse


Devil Rays' Rekar faces misdemeanor domestic battery charge


RECAPS
NY Yankees 12
Texas 3

Boston 7
Anaheim 6

Detroit 3
Oakland 1

Baltimore 2
Kansas City 1

Tampa Bay 11
Chi. White Sox 4

Cincinnati 7
Philadelphia 4

Houston 5
Chicago Cubs 4

St. Louis 7
Pittsburgh 4

Atlanta 7
Colorado 4

Milwaukee 16
Arizona 8

San Diego 5
NY Mets 4

Montreal 4
Los Angeles 1

San Francisco 6
Florida 0