Rays' Balfour swears it was nothing personal

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Grant Balfour is an emotional reliever who punctuates each pitch with graphic language.

It's not that he's angry or trying to show anyone up. That's his style. It's the way he fires himself up.

But during a game-saving performance in the seventh inning yesterday when he struck out Juan Uribe and Orlando Cabrera with the bases loaded to preserve a 6-3 Rays lead, Cabrera became miffed at Balfour's curses, feeling he might have been directing them at him.

"They say that he always gets pumped up like that," said Cabrera after the Rays' 6-4 win over the White Sox in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. "He says [an expletive] to the hitter every time they swing at his pitch. I didn't know that, so I just got mad a little bit and I was just pumped up. Like I said before, it was the heat of the moment in the battlefield."

Balfour kept referring to himself as "fired up" and meant nothing offensive to Cabrera. In fact, he got perturbed that Cabrera was making such a big deal of it. At one point, catcher Dioner Navarro had to step in front of Cabrera, who was shouting expletives back at Balfour. And Balfour started for the plate before umpire Joe West intercepted him.

"I was fortunate enough to strike him out right there," said Balfour. "It wasn't like it was in on him and it hit him or anything. I was trying to make a pitch down and away. He yelled something at me and it fired me up a little bit. I don't know if he was trying to put me off my game. I don't know what he was trying to do.

"He kicked the dirt and told me to throw it over the plate and started cursing at me. He just fired me up to get him out. So I was fortunate there. I like to get fired up, so it really helped me out."

After he struck out Cabrera, "I told him to go sit down. It was a good feeling," Balfour said.

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon was approached by West after the incident, but no warning was issued.

Short day for Peña

Rays first baseman Carlos Peña left after two innings with a scratched eye. He reportedly scratched it at his home Tuesday night, and during the game he had slightly blurred vision . . . Because of back tightness, Tampa Bay closer Troy Percival was left off the playoff roster . . . Mets general manager Omar Minaya received a four-year contract through 2012 . . . Rockies first baseman Todd Helton underwent lower back surgery and is expected to be ready for spring training . . . Eddie Brinkman, who in 15 seasons as a major league shortstop became known as a superb fielder (1972 Gold Glove) and poor hitter (.224 career average), died in Cincinnati Tuesday at age 66. No cause of death was given.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.