Pirates lose to Devils Rays, 8-2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) _Victor Zambrano allowed one run and four hits in six innings Saturday as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2. Aubrey Huff went 3-for-4, including a two-run homer in the third off Jeff D’Amico, who a day earlier won a job in the Pirates’ rotation.
Zambrano, the only player to reach the major leagues from Tampa Bay’s first minicamp in 1996, struck out four and walked one.
“He pitched very well. You’ve got to be impressed,” Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella said. “He had good movement and had a good breaking ball. I was real pleased.”
Piniella also was happy with his offense, which had 13 hits and scored its most runs since beating the New York Yankees 8-3 on March 9.
“A lot of good things out there,” Piniella said. “Good two-out hitting. We drove some balls in the gap. We got the home run from Huff. We moved some runners. “This is what we’re capable of doing if we just permit ourselves.”
D’Amico allowed six runs and 11 hits in six innings, struck out six and walked none.
Travis Lee, Damian Rolls and Toby Hall each had two hits for Tampa Bay. Reggie Sanders had two of Pittsburgh’s five hits.