ST. PETERSBURG, Florida -- Barry Zito has not exactly
set the tone for the rest of the Oakland Athletics' rotation.
For the second time in six days, Zito was ineffective,
surrendering seven runs in the second inning as the Tampa Bay
Devil Rays posted an 11-2 rout of the Athletics.
With the trades of Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, Oakland general
manager Billy Beane has made Zito the player his rotation will
revolve around. With inexperienced arms like Rich Harden, Dan
Haren and Joe Blanton expected to take regular turns, Zito's
presence means more than ever.
Through two starts, the 26-year-old lefthander has looked little
like the 2002 Cy Young Award winner. After allowing four runs
in six innings in a season-opening loss against Baltimore, Zito
(0-2) was torched in this outing.
He surrendered three-run homers to Josh Phelps and Aubrey Huff
in the second and finished allowing 11 runs and seven hits in 3
1/3 innings.
"I just didn't have very good command of my stuff," Zito said.
"I struggled to get anything going and left too many pitches
over the plate."
"That was a pretty good (tail-kicking)," Oakland manager Ken
Macha said. "They used their speed and it gave them an added
dimension."
The early offense was plenty for Tampa Bay starter Hideo Nomo
(1-0), who allowed one hit - a solo homer to Mark Kotsay - in
six innings. The Japanese righthander walked two and struck out
four in his debut with the Devil Rays.
"Anytime you get a lot of runs like that, it helps," Nomo said
through an interpreter. "I felt real comfortable out there. It
was pretty much routine."
"He had no-hit stuff," Nomo's batterymate Toby Hall said. "His
timing was there and he knew what he wanted to accomplish. He
is a real professional."
Making his 300th major league start, Nomo won for just the
second time in his last 15 starts - dating to nearly a year ago.
"I was expecting a professional effort, and we got that - plus,"
Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella said. "That was a solid
performance. He had command out there. ... I couldn't be
happier."
Oakland threatened in the first, putting two aboard with one
out, but Nomo escaped the jam and cruised thereafter.
Tampa Bay then put together the most productive inning ever
against Zito. Julio Lugo singled, stole second and took third
on a base hit by Jorge Cantu. Phelps followed with his first
home run of the season for a 3-0 lead.
"You always want to contribute and help out the pitcher," Phelps
said. "I saw Zito's ball real well and drove it. It got us
going."
Eduardo Perez reached on an infield hit and Hall singled to
right. Joey Gathright got down a bunt that Gold Glove third
baseman Eric Chavez threw away, loading the bases.
Carl Crawford made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly and, one out
later, Huff hit a three-run homer to right. The blast was
Huff's 99th for Tampa Bay, tying him with Fred McGriff for the
most in team history.
"Everyone knows we have pretty solid pitching, but we know we
have other weapons," Huff said. "You get a little confidence
and that can go a long way."
The 11 runs allowed by Zito were the most he ever has allowed in
a game and the seven runs he yielded in the second were his
most in any inning.
"I have to focus on keeping my preparation the same," Zito said.
"I was trying to nibble instead of attacking the zone."
Kotsay homered in the third, but Tampa Bay tacked on four runs
in the fourth, highlighted by Lugo's two-run single.