Smith’s First Home Run an Exciting One for Yan

The longest game in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ young history ended, fittingly, on a newcomer’s first home run.

Rookie Bobby Smith homered in the 14th inning and Esteban Yan closed the game with five perfect innings as the AL expansion team overcame a six-run deficit to beat the Minnesota Twins, 13-12, Monday night at St. Petersburg, Fla.

“I can’t wait to get home to call my mom,” Smith said.

Smith, who and four hits in the game, connected off Mike Trombley (0-1) to end the longest game in Tampa Bay’s brief existence. Yan (2-0), Tampa Bay’s seventh pitcher, was the winner.

Quinton McCracken drove in four runs and had three of Tampa Bay’s 19 hits. Fred McGriff hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs.

Minnesota, which wasted 7-1 and 10-6 leads, had 22 hits, the Twins’ most since getting 23 at Milwaukee last July 4. Terry Steinbach and Matt Lawton had four hits each.

Lawton put Minnesota ahead, 12-11, in the ninth with a two-run single off Roberto Hernandez, who set up the inning by misplaying Denny Hocking’s bunt for an error.

Tampa Bay tied the score in the bottom half against Rick Aguilera when Smith singled and scored on Jerome Walton’s double.

“It was unfortunate the way the game turned out. I think some of the fans enjoyed it, but it wasn’t as good for the athletes or the people trying to participate in it,” Twin Manager Tom Kelly said. “It’s obviously embarrassing for most of us.”

Texas 10, Detroit 1--Lee Stevens hit three home runs and Bobby Witt got his 100th victory with the Rangers at Arlington, Texas.

Stevens hit solo homers in the second and fifth, before connecting on a two-run shot in the seventh for his first three-homer game. Attempting to become the 13th player to homer four times in a game, he walked in the eighth.

Juan Gonzalez scored a two-run homer for the Rangers, who have won four of five.

Witt (1-0) gave up six hits over 6 2/3 innings.

Kansas City 11, Toronto 1--Glendon Rusch got his first win at Kauffman Stadium and Larry Sutton, Shane Mack and Mike Sweenney all homered off Pat Hentgen at Kansas City, Mo.

Rusch (1-2), who entered the game with a 12.54 ERA, gave up seven hits in eight innings. He struck out six and walked one in the longest outing by a Royal pitcher this season.

The left-hander was 0-7 in 15 starts at home.

Hentgen (1-1) gave up six hits and eight runs in three innings.

Mack went three for four with four RBIs and Hal Morris tied a career-high with four hits.

Boston 6, Oakland 3--Bret Saberhagen continued his comeback with a second consecutive victory and Mo Vaughn homered to lead the Red Sox at Boston.

Oakland lost its fourth consecutive game and has yet to win a game on the road this season. Boston has not yet lost at home, having swept the Seattle Mariners in three games over the weekend.

Saberhagen (2-0) sat out all of 1996 after surgery on his right shoulder and spent most of last season in rehabilitation.

The two-time Cy Young winner, struck out six and walked two. He threw 97 pitches in six innings and gave up two runs and two hits. After giving up a two-run homer to Matt Stairs in the first inning, he retired 15 of 16.

Cleveland 6, Seattle 5--Ken Griffey Jr. homered twice and became the second-youngest player with 300 homers, but Seattle’s bullpen wasted another lead as Seattle lost at Cleveland.

Griffey, who had the 31st multi-homer game of his career, hit two-run shots in the first against Dave Burba (2-1) and the seventh against Jose Mesa.

Griffey’s first homer and a solo shot in the sixth by David Segui gave the Mariners a 3-0 lead. But the Indians scored six in the sixth, taking a 6-3 lead on Brian Giles’ three-run homer off Bobby Ayala.

Ken Cloude (1-1) gave up four consecutive hits to start the inning, and Ayala failed to preserve a 3-3 tie. Seattle’s bullpen blew two saves against Boston last weekend.

Griffey’s historic homer, estimated at 391 feet, was his sixth of the season and third in two days. Griffey, who has hit at least 40 homers four times, is 28 years, 143 days old. Jimmie Foxx was 27 years, 328 days when he hit his 300th. Foxx hit 534 homers during his Hall of Fame career.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NEXT SERIES FOR ANGELS

WHO: Tampa Bay

WHERE: Edison Field

WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Friday, 7 p.m.

Saturday, 7 p.m.

Sunday, 1 p.m.