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Moriarty9 · 12-23-2008, 12:32 AM

Frye single sends Rays home happy
Tampa Bay walkoff win comes in 11th inning
July 10, 1998

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - There was plenty of suspense and late drama before the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were able to bring an end to an 11-inning contest against the New York Yankees.

Devil Rays secondbaseman Jeff Frye was able to knock in the winning run with two out in the last of the 11th inning, but not before some late inning drama sent the game into extra innings and kept it going.

The Yankees entered the eighth inning with a 7-6 deficit, but Rafael Palmeiro tied the game with a solo home run to right field, his 23rd of the season. New York threatened to take the lead with a Tino Martinez single and Andy Fox walk, but a Paul Bako double play ball and Mark Whiten strikeout kept the game tied up at 7-7.

The Devil Rays roared back to regain their lead in the home half of the eighth inning against Yankees southpaw Mike Stanton. Ryan Radmanovich led off the inning with a single, but was erased when Damon Buford reached on a fielder's choice before Mike Cameron hit a two-run home run, knocking Stanton out of the game and giving Tampa Bay a 9-7 lead.

Danny Graves took the mound for the Devil Rays in an effort to close out the ballgame, but Derek Jeter and the Bronx Bombers had other plans. With one out and Ray Durham on second, Jeter took a 2-1 fastball to straightaway centerfield for a game-tying home run.

Tampa Bay put up little fight in the last of the ninth, sending four batters to the plate as Mariano Rivera escaped with no more than a walk, sending the game into extra innings.

Neither team had a significant scoring threat in the 10th inning, and New York went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 11th inning.

With Mike Holtz taking over on the mound after two strong innings of work from Rivera, the Devil Rays struck. Jose Hernandez led off the inning with a single and scampered into third base on a Dan Wilson double. Radmanovich was intentionally walked, loading the bases with nobody out and Damon Buford due up. Tampa Bay manager Christian O'Neal called for a suicide squeeze, but Holtz was able to field the bunt and get Hernandez, the lead runner, at the plate for the first out. The speedy Cameron hit a hard groundball to second and, knowing a double play was unlikely, Durham threw home for the second out. The Yankees nearly escaped the jam but Frye hit a ball down the first base line but it was snagged on a dive by firstbaseman Ryan Jackson, who was unable to get to his feet or get the ball to anyone in time to record an out.

"Man, it feels good," Frye said of the walk off hit. "Of the wins we have, there have been a handful of these sort of games and that's really encouraging going forward."

Frye went 2-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBI in the game. Cameron, Will Clark and Paul Konerko had three hits each. Radmanovich, Cameron and Greg Vaughn each homered for the Devil Rays, while Palmeiro, Jeter, Durham and Bernie Williams went deep for the Yankees. Palmeiro had three hits on the day.

12-23-2008, 12:32 AM	#44 (permalink)
Moriarty9 All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3x in 3 posts	Frye single sends Rays home happy Tampa Bay walkoff win comes in 11th inning July 10, 1998 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - There was plenty of suspense and late drama before the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were able to bring an end to an 11-inning contest against the New York Yankees. Devil Rays secondbaseman Jeff Frye was able to knock in the winning run with two out in the last of the 11th inning, but not before some late inning drama sent the game into extra innings and kept it going. The Yankees entered the eighth inning with a 7-6 deficit, but Rafael Palmeiro tied the game with a solo home run to right field, his 23rd of the season. New York threatened to take the lead with a Tino Martinez single and Andy Fox walk, but a Paul Bako double play ball and Mark Whiten strikeout kept the game tied up at 7-7. The Devil Rays roared back to regain their lead in the home half of the eighth inning against Yankees southpaw Mike Stanton. Ryan Radmanovich led off the inning with a single, but was erased when Damon Buford reached on a fielder's choice before Mike Cameron hit a two-run home run, knocking Stanton out of the game and giving Tampa Bay a 9-7 lead. Danny Graves took the mound for the Devil Rays in an effort to close out the ballgame, but Derek Jeter and the Bronx Bombers had other plans. With one out and Ray Durham on second, Jeter took a 2-1 fastball to straightaway centerfield for a game-tying home run. Tampa Bay put up little fight in the last of the ninth, sending four batters to the plate as Mariano Rivera escaped with no more than a walk, sending the game into extra innings. Neither team had a significant scoring threat in the 10th inning, and New York went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 11th inning. With Mike Holtz taking over on the mound after two strong innings of work from Rivera, the Devil Rays struck. Jose Hernandez led off the inning with a single and scampered into third base on a Dan Wilson double. Radmanovich was intentionally walked, loading the bases with nobody out and Damon Buford due up. Tampa Bay manager Christian O'Neal called for a suicide squeeze, but Holtz was able to field the bunt and get Hernandez, the lead runner, at the plate for the first out. The speedy Cameron hit a hard groundball to second and, knowing a double play was unlikely, Durham threw home for the second out. The Yankees nearly escaped the jam but Frye hit a ball down the first base line but it was snagged on a dive by firstbaseman Ryan Jackson, who was unable to get to his feet or get the ball to anyone in time to record an out. "Man, it feels good," Frye said of the walk off hit. "Of the wins we have, there have been a handful of these sort of games and that's really encouraging going forward." Frye went 2-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBI in the game. Cameron, Will Clark and Paul Konerko had three hits each. Radmanovich, Cameron and Greg Vaughn each homered for the Devil Rays, while Palmeiro, Jeter, Durham and Bernie Williams went deep for the Yankees. Palmeiro had three hits on the day.