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Rays get a win to savor

ST. PETERSBURG -- His postgame workout finished and excitement still evident in his wide eyes, Delvin James sat breathless at a round table in the Rays' clubhouse.

"That's the ... that's the ... how many world championships have they won?" he asked. "I've been watching the Yankees for a long time, been watching them play so well."

Thursday, James and the Rays were a little better.

In its lone home game against the Yankees this spring, Tampa Bay came back from a two-run deficit to win 8-5 before a decidedly pro-New York crowd of 5,051 at Florida Power Park.

"Vince (Naimoli, Rays managing general partner) is smiling somewhere," Rays manager Hal McRae said.

James pitched three scoreless innings and got the win after the Rays scored five off reliever Brandon Knight in the seventh. Shortstop Chris Gomez went 3-for-3 and designated hitter Troy O'Leary went 3-for-5 with three RBIs.

Tampa Bay's eight runs and 15 hits were its most through six spring games against major-league clubs.

"This is a dream right here," said James, who gave up two hits and struck out three. "They came out swinging the bat very well today. They came out on fire the first four innings."

First baseman Steve Cox led off the seventh with his second homer in as many days. The Rays loaded the bases before shortstop Wilmy Caceres looped a ball into leftfield that scored Jared Sandberg and Emil Brown and put the Rays ahead 6-5.

Tampa Bay added two on a bases-loaded single by O'Leary in the inning.

"I'm trying to stay on top of the ball like Cox does and hitting bombs like him," O'Leary joked.

Joe Kennedy started for the Rays and lasted 12/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits while walking three.

"He'd thrown enough," McRae said. "He didn't have command today."

Said Kennedy: "Sometimes I'll go out there and have a little trouble the first inning and then just settle down in the second. Today, I just couldn't settle down in the second."

The Yankees' other runs came off Victor Zambrano, who lasted 21/3 innings and gave up four hits. Tom Martin and Bobby Seay each pitched one scoreless inning.

Roger Clemens, the 2001 American League Cy Young Award winner, started for the Yankees and pitched three innings. He allowed three runs on six hits, walking three and striking out two.

"We swung the bats well," McRae said. "That was the most encouraging thing. We fought back, executed better and got a few timely base hits. The offense produced well today."

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