But he wasn't the losing pitcher because Billy Wagner couldn't hold the lead despite relieving Brian Wilson with two outs and nobody on in the top of the ninth.

Rays rookie Evan Longoria doubled into the left-field corner after Grady Sizemore singled and stole second, and little did anybody know it at the time, but there would be six more innings played.

And Dan Uggla's nightmare was just about to begin. In the top of the 10th, he hit into an inning-ending double play with a man on third — part of Rivera's 1.2 scoreless-inning appearance — and it went downhill from there.

Cook relies on a power sinking fastball that produces groundball after groundball, and that's exactly the way the bottom of the 10th unfolded:

A high bouncer off Uggla's glove for an error. A hard smash through Uggla for another error, and an intentional walk to load the bases.

Then three groundball outs — two force plays at home, and Tejada's great play on a slow roller to barely get Morneau for the third out. Cook stayed on for the 11th, and the result was eventful but again scoreless.

Question: When do a single, a walk and two more singles not produce a run? Answer: When the first runner (Ian Kinsler) is cut down on a stolen-base attempt, and the second runner (Navarro) is nailed at the plate on a laser throw from Nate McLouth, temporarily denying Young of a game-winning RBI.

Uggla struck out with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 12th — part of Joakim Soria's wiggle out of a jam. At least Uggla's third error — in the bottom of the 13th — didn't lead to any damage.

“My heart goes out to the young man,'' Hurdle said. “If you have a game like that in the regular season, you have another game the next day. But he's a real good player, and hopefully he'll get another chance in an All-Star Game.''

In case you had forgotten — and really, who didn't? — the last NL victory came in 1996 in Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium. Mike Piazza led a 12-hit attack with a home run and a double, and nine pitchers combined on a seven-hit shutout.

“A piece of my heart is broken tonight because we didn't win the game,'' Hurdle said.

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