Given second chance, Kapler homers to give Rays 4-3 victory over Nationals

Kapler’s homer lifts Rays past Nationals

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — One pitch after an error prolonged his at-bat, Gabe Kapler hit a pinch-hit home run that snapped an eighth-inning tie and gave the Tampa Bay Rays a 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

Kapler, mired in a 3-for-31 slump that dropped his batting average to .234, went deep against Ron Villone (3-2) after first baseman Nick Johnson dropped a pop foul that would have been the third out.

J.P. Howell (2-2), the fourth Tampa Bay pitcher, worked 1 1-3 innings to get the victory that moved Tampa Bay (32-31) one game over .500.

Washington’s Elijah Dukes had a two-run double, helping his team take a 3-0 lead in his first trip to Tropicana Field since the Rays traded their former prospect to the Nationals after the 2007 season.

Dukes ability was never an issue during a turbulent stay in Tampa Bay’s minor league system and one rocky season with the major league club. But his temper and several off-the-field transgressions were a hindrance, and the Rays eventually ran out of patience.

His first-inning double off Matt Garza set off a celebration among a group of family and friends who rose to cheer each time the 24-year-old, who went to high school in Tampa, came to the plate. Rays fans greeted him with scattered boos.

Adam Dunn drove in Washington’s first run with a first-inning single off Garza, who allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Tampa Bay erased a 3-0 deficit with help from a throwing error by Nationals catcher Josh Bard that allowed B.J. Upton to trot home from third base after he and Carl Crawford executed a double steal in the third inning.

Dioner Navarro had a RBI single in the second and Gabe Gross doubled down the right field line off reliever Joel Hanrahan to drive in the last run charged to starter Craig Stammen to make it 3-3 in the sixth.

Stammen, one of four rookies in Washington’s rotation, allowed four hits, walked three and struck out five.