Damon hits 2-run HR in 10th, Rays rally past Twins

Published 9:37 pm Thursday, April 14, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Johnny Damon hit a two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving the Tampa Bay Rays a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night.

Carl Pavano pitched eight shutout innings for the Twins, but was denied the victory when closer Joe Nathan gave up a two-run double to Matt Joyce in the ninth.

Minnesota regained the lead in the 10th on Danny Valencia’s RBI single off Kyle Farnsworth (0-1).

Sam Fuld singled with one out in Tampa Bay 10th off Matt Capps (1-1) and Damon followed with his third homer of the season, a drive into the first row of the right-field seats. A season-low crowd of 10,042 cheered Damon all around the bases.

Delmon Young and Drew Butera drove in sixth-inning runs for the Twins, seemingly supplying all the offensive support Pavano needed.

Pavano struck out seven and walked two. He held the Rays hitless until Joyce singled with one out in the fifth, and the 35-year-old right-hander stranded runners at third base in the sixth and seventh innings.

The Twins scored twice off Rays starter James Shields. Justin Morneau doubled and Jim Thome singled to begin the inning. Young followed with a sacrifice fly, and Butera made it 2-0 with a bases-loaded single for his first RBI of the season.

Felipe Lopez began Tampa Bay’s ninth-inning rally with a one-out, bloop double off Nathan. Ben Zobrist then walked and Joyce drove his third hit of the game into the gap in right to tie it.

Shields and Pavano helped themselves remain in a scoreless duel by picking runners off base in the fifth. Shields caught Alexi Casilla too far off first base before Minnesota’s Denard Span doubled to the center-field wall in the top half of the inning. With two runners on, Pavano countered by picking Joyce off second.

Pavano worked out of another tight spot in the sixth when Fuld singled and eventually was stranded at third when B.J. Upton struck out.

NOTES: Minnesota C Joe Mauer was not in the lineup because of what manager Ron Gardenhire described as “soreness.” Gardenhire would not say where the soreness was, and said Mauer will be re-evaluated before Friday’s game against the Rays. The three-time AL batting champion had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in the offseason. … Rays manager Joe Maddon said 3B Evan Longoria’s strained left oblique muscle is improving but there still is no definitive timetable for him to begin rehabbing the injury. The three-time All-Star, out since April 3, is expected to be sidelined a minimum of three weeks.