Wednesday night's victory guarantees Tampa Bay at least a split of the four-game seri

[RLA68]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250504130

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- The last-place Tampa Bay Devil Rays dropped the New York Yankees to their lowest point in a decade.

With owner George Steinbrenner getting a close-up view from his suite at Tropicana Field, the reeling Yankees and their tattered pitching staff lost their second straight game to the lowly Devil Rays, 11-8 Wednesday night.

The loss was the sixth in eight games for New York, which made significant lineup changes the previous night to try to break out of a rut. The Yankees are six games under .500 for the first time since after games of July 19, 1995, when they were 34-40.

At 11-17, the Yankees are just one-game ahead of fifth-place Tampa Bay, which stopped an eight-game losing streak by beating up on Kevin Brown on Tuesday night. The Devil Rays scored 22 runs in their first consecutive victories over New York in almost two years, despite hitting just one homer.

Rookie Damon Hollins led the way, going 3-for-3 with a solo homer and four RBI. The Devil Rays also took advantage of a throwing error by new Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, which led to a four-run third against Sean Henn (0-1), making his major league debut as a fill-in for Randy Johnson.

Cano was brought up from Triple-A Columbus as part of the shakeup manager Joe Torre instituted in hopes of turning the Yankees around. Cano had his first two major league hits, but New York never fully recovered his error which cost two runs.

The Yankees also weren't helped in the third when Tony Womack, moved to left field to make room for Cano at second, appeared to take a bad angle on a ball that went over his head and bounced to the wall for a RBI double.

Alex Rodriguez and Tino Martinez hit solo homers off Hideo Nomo, who lasted just 4 2-3 innings despite being staked to an 8-2 lead. The Yankees chased the Devil Rays starter with three runs in the fifth on Gary Sheffield's RBI single and Hideki Matsui's two-run single.

Nomo allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 2-3 innings. Casey Fossum (2-1) worked 1 1-3 innings for the victory, and Danys Baez got four outs to earn his second save after New York rallied for two runs in the eighth to trim its deficit to 10-8.

Yankees designated hitter Jason Giambi left the game in the eighth inning after being hit in the side of the head by a pitch from Trever Miller, a ball that knocked off his helmet. He leaned over for a moment, but remained standing and walked off the field under his own power.

Henn was recalled from Double-A Trenton to replace Johnson, who was scratched because of stiffness in his left groin. His stay is expected to be brief, though, because the Big Unit is confident he'll be able to make his next scheduled start, on Monday.

The Yankees also have another young pitcher, Chien-Ming Wang, filling in for the injured Jaret Wright. The 25-year-old right-hander from Taiwan makes his second major league start Thursday night in the series final. He and Henn are the first pair of rookies to start games this early in a season for the Yankees since Johnny Johnson and Monk Dubiel on April 19, 1944, during a doubleheader against Boston.

Henn gave up two runs in the second and four in the third, when Cano's throwing error allowed two runs to score. Josh Phelps and Alex Gonzalez followed with RBI doubles to make it 6-2 and finish Henn's debut after 72 pitches.

[StumpMerrill]

It's hard to go in the raucous Tropicana Dome and win a series against the rays we should be feel fortunate if we can muster a split.

[Hammer]

It's hard to go in the raucous Tropicana Dome and win a series against the rays we should be feel fortunate if we can muster a split.

That could very well be the greatest post ever.

[RLA68]

Welcome Stump. Unfortunately, you are correct.

This not 2005, it is 1985. I am completing my sophmore year of high school. The Yankees are throwing money around but still stink it up every year.

[StumpMerrill]

I think I should have went w/ Stump as StumpMerrill is a pain to type in every time

[Steak]

I think I should have went w/ Stump as StumpMerrill is a pain to type in every time

Just use nyjunc. It makes it a lot better that way.

[StumpMerrill]

Just use nyjunc. It makes it a lot better that way.

Huh?