09:29 AM EDT on Tuesday, July 19, 2005

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox were hoping to get back on track last night against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the worst team in the major leagues.

Unfortunately, despite an unusual reversal of a judgment call by the umpires, the Red Sox still couldn't beat the Rays, suffering a 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay at Fenway Park.

Boston managed only three hits, two by backup second baseman Alex Cora, in falling to 3-8 at home over its last 11 games, with Wade Miller (2-4) charged with the loss. The Sox got all of their hits off Scott Kazmir in his six innings, but couldn't take advantage of the six walks allowed by the left-hander.

The setback dropped Boston into a tie with Baltimore in the American League East, one-half game behind the New York Yankees, who edged the Texas Rangers, 11-10, last night in overtaking the Red Sox in the American League East standings. Boston had been alone in first place since June 24.

Making the night even worse for the Sox and their fans was the fact that Johnny Damon's hitting streak was snapped at 29 games, the fourth-longest such streak in Red Sox history.

The Sox center fielder went 0-for-5. He reached on an error by third baseman Jorge Cantu in the first inning, but then he popped to short, struck out, flied to left and, with two outs in the ninth and one last chance to extend his streak, lined out to right as Danys Baez, the man mentioned as a possible closer for the Sox, racked up his 17th save.

Over the streak, Damon batted .348 (46-for-132) with 11 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 13 RBI and 26 runs scored. The last time Damon went hitless was on June 8, when he went 0-for-5 in St. Louis.

"I'm definitely disappointed," said Damon. "But Kazmir shut most of us down. "I had a couple of pitches I could have extended the streak on, but it wasn't my night. Hopefully I can start another one. More importantly, hopefully the team can start a (winning) streak.

AP photo

Red Sox starter Wade Miller, who hasn't won since May 30, was beside himself after surrending a pivotal two-run single with two outs in the sixth inning last night against the Devil Rays at Fenway Park.

"I had some pretty good swings. I hit a decent line drive on the last one. I actually felt if I got past tonight I could have taken it further. The funny thing is my swing hasn't felt that great during the streak. A couple of games I felt great, but I was amazed I got to 29. I'm proud I got 29, but I really want the team to start winning," added Damon, who has been bothered by a sore right shoulder since the beginning of the streak.

Manager Terry Francona was impressed by what Damon accomplished.

"That was a pretty nice run for him," said Francona. "As impressive as the streak he just put together, I think it was more impressive the way he did it. He understands how to play the game and what's important for us. He took a 3-and-1 pitch when we were down (Sunday night). He did all this while not going outside of his game. I wouldn't be shocked if he got real hot right now."

Curt Schilling got quite hot, followed by Tampa Bay's volatile manager Lou Piniella, who got white-hot over the game's most explosive moment, in the ninth.

And while it ultimately didn't have anything to do with the outcome of the game, it was something you don't see every day. First-base umpire Dana DeMuth reversed a judgment call on a bang-bang play with two outs and a runner at third.

DeMuth called Julio Lugo safe after first baseman John Olerud fielded his chopper and shoveled a throw to Schilling, covering the bag. That seemingly gave Tampa Bay another run and a 4-1 advantage.

Schilling erupted, pointing to where his surgically repaired right foot had nudged up against the bag. Francona bolted out of the dugout to make sure he got between Schilling and DeMuth. Plate umpire Laz Diaz sauntered down to check things out. DeMuth said he didn't think Schilling touched the bag.

Francona asked DeMuth to ask Diaz if he had seen Schilling's fabled right foot hit the edge of the bag. Diaz said he had, the call was reversed and the run taken off the board, all of which prompted Piniella to go ballistic. Diaz gave him the heave-ho, which was followed by a good strong hat-toss by an enraged Piniella.

"Dana didn't think (Schilling) touched first. We just wanted him to check. I know I saw him touch first," said Francona.

"I thought Schilling missed the bag," DeMuth told a pool reporter. "I saw him come down. His foot came down before Lugo's foot. I had the bag between me and him. I assumed that the whole foot missed the bag, so I called him safe. He (Diaz) had a better angle to try to get the call right. I asked him if he saw and he said he did."

Piniella was not mollified.

"Dana DeMuth is six feet away from the bag. And then you've got a home plate umpire who's 90 feet away and sees it better than the guy at first base," said Piniella. "It's hard for me to believe. I've never seen a play like that overruled. You got one base to call. Make a call and stand by it."

"It didn't have any effect on the game, but it could have. We won the ballgame," said Piniella.

Indeed, the Rays pinned a loss on Miller, who hasn't won since May 30. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't dominant, either. Miller's pitch count rose quickly again, but until the sixth he had given up only one run, on a triple by Damon Hollins and a sacrifice fly by Toby Hall.

That tied the game at 1-1 against the wasteful Sox, who managed only one run in what could have been a big first inning when they received three walks, had one single and the Rays made an error.

Miller didn't make it out of the sixth. After two walks and a single in the sixth, Joey Gathright, who had fanned twice and bounced out in his previous at-bats, sliced a two-out, two-run single through the shortstop hole, putting the Rays on top, 3-1.