ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Jose Cruz Jr. had a two-run double and Rocco Baldelli drove in two runs with a single during a six-run third inning against Derek Lowe, leading the Tampa Bay Devil Rays over the Boston Red Sox 9-6 Thursday night.

Tampa Bay nearly blew a seven-run lead in ending a five-game losing streak. It was just the second win in the past 14 games for the Devil Rays.

Victor Zambrano took the seven-run advantage into the fifth, but was pulled with two outs and the Devil Rays up 7-4. Johnny Damon then made it 7-6 when he greeted reliever John Halama with a two-run double.

Zambrano walked nine batter to set a Devil Rays record. He allowed six runs, four hits, hit a batter and struck out eight in 4 2-3 innings. He threw 132 pitches.

Jorge Sosa (1-0) went two scoreless innings for the win. Danys Baez pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Lowe (3-4) lasted a season-low 2 1-3 innings, giving up seven runs and eight hits. He gave up hits to his final seven batters, all coming in Tampa Bay’s six-run third. He went 2 2-3 innings in an April 18 loss to the New York Yankees.

Lowe is winless in his last four starts, including three losses. He has allowed 37 runs – 27 earned – and 57 hits over 40 1-3 innings this season.

Mark Bellhorn and David Ortiz walked with the bases loaded in a three-run fourth that pulled Boston within 7-3. Zambrano threw 45-pitches in the inning.

Jason Varitek hit a solo homer in Boston’s three-run fifth as the Red Sox narrowed the deficit to 7-6.

Tampa Bay took an 8-6 lead in the bottom half on Jonny Gomes RBI single. Brook Fordyce made it a three-run game with a run-scoring single in the seventh.

Zambrano walked three and struck out three during a 30-pitch first. The Red Sox failed to score when Varitek struck out with the bases loaded and two outs.

The Devil Rays went up 1-0 on Aubrey Huff’s RBI grounder in the bottom of the inning.

Boston’s Manny Ramirez was involved in a strange double play in the third. With Bellhorn running on the pitch from first base, Ramirez struck out swinging. On his follow through, Ramirez interfered with catcher Fordyce’s throw, which resulted in Bellhorn being called out.

Ramirez, who entered hitting .368, went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts to drop his average to .357.

Notes: Zambrano leads the AL with 44 walks. His nine walks Thursday set a team record. … Boston 3B Bill Mueller was scratched from the line up with a sore right knee. He will his knee examined Friday in Boston. … The status of Red Sox SS Nomar Garciaparra (right Achillies’ tendon) will be re-evaluated Friday. Garciaparra has been taking part in simulated games at Fenway Park. … Tampa Bay 1B-DH Fred McGriff made his season debut with Triple-A Durham Thursday night. He had been working out on his own since the end of spring training. McGriff, who is nine homers short of 500, could join the Devil Rays by the end of the month.

AP-ES-05-20-04 2241EDT