Dan Johnson's three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning capped a furious rally as the Tampa Bay Rays earned their first victory of the year, 9-7 over the host Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

Trailing 7-4 entering the ninth, the Rays (1-6) plated five unearned runs against Matt Thornton (0-1). Elliott Johnson led off with a pinch-hit single and scored when Chicago's Alexei Ramirez made a throwing error on Sam Fuld's infield single. After Johnny Damon reached on a dropped fly ball by Juan Pierre, B.J. Upton cut it to 7-6 with an RBI single before Johnson's go-ahead shot over the right-field wall.

Kyle Farnsworth pitched a scoreless ninth inning to save it for Adam Russell (1-0), who got the win despite facing one batter in the bottom of the eighth.

Mark Teahen's two-run single in the eighth had given the White Sox (4-3) a seemingly safe three-run lead. Gordon Beckham finished with three hits for Chicago, including a first-inning home run.

Tampa Bay had totaled eight runs in its first six games. It was only the second time the Rays scored more than one run in a game.