ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 13 (UPI) -- Gabe Kapler's pinch homer in the eighth inning Friday lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-3 inter-league win over the Washington Nationals.
Kapler, batting for Gabe Gross, hit his second homer this season to snap a 3-3 tie with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to cap Tampa Bay's comeback from a 3-0 first-inning deficit.
Kapler got lucky after Washington first baseman Nick Johnson dropped his foul pop and he hit the next offering from losing pitcher Ron Villone (3-2) into the left center field seats.
Dioner Navarro led Tampa Bay with two hits and one RBI. Gross had one RBI and five others had one hit for the Rays, who have won three in a row and seven of their last 10 games.
The winner was J.P. Howell (2-2).
Washington's Elijah Dukes hit a two-run first-inning double. Adam Dunn had two hits and one RBI for the Nationals, who have lost seven of nine.
