truebluefan

PETERSBURG - Lori Witt sat 20 rows behind home plate Sunday, her 6-month-old son Cullen on her lap. The Rays' weekend series against the Mariners offered her the first opportunity to fly from her home in Houston to watch her husband play in a major-league uniform in person for the first time in three years.

She watched Kevin Witt struggle in the field. He entered his final at-bat Sunday 0-for-6 in the series. Having only played four games at first base in the second half before his call up from Triple-A Durham 10 days ago, Witt was rusty. He made two errors at first in the series, including one Sunday when he allowed a pickoff throw to scoot by him.

Still, Rays manager Joe Maddon had faith in the left-handed-hitting Witt, who was recently awarded the International League MVP award after leading the minors with 36 homers at Durham. However, if the Mariners had gone to a lefty in the bullpen, he had Rocco Baldelli up to pinch hit.

But Witt had his chance at vindication - and he capitalized.

Witt hit a game-winning three-run homer off Seattle starter Felix Hernandez. Witt's second big-league homer of the season came on Hernandez's first pitch of the at-bat and propelled the Devil Rays to a 7-6 win against the Mariners.

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