13-0 Rays tie MLB modern era record to start season
Tampa Bay’s historic season-opening successful streak reached 13 video games due to the Rays’ relentless lineup, which despatched 11 batters to the plate throughout a seven-run rally within the fifth inning. They cruised the remainder of the way in which to a 9-3 victory over Boston earlier than a crowd of 21,175 at Tropicana Field.
The Rays have matched the 1982 Braves and ‘87 Brewers for the longest winning streak to start a season in MLB’s trendy period. The solely crew to win extra video games in a row on the outset of a season was the 1884 St. Louis Maroons, who went 20-0 earlier than shedding a sport.
Additionally, these Rays now personal the longest general successful streak in franchise historical past, as Thursday’s victory broke a tie with the 2004 Devil Rays (12 straight).
The Rays aren’t simply successful video games, both. They’ve cruised previous practically everybody they’ve confronted. They’ve outscored their opponents, 101-30, the third-largest run differential in Major League historical past by the primary 13 video games of the season and the biggest within the trendy period.
Eleven of their 13 wins have come by a minimum of 4 runs. They have trailed after solely six of the 117 innings they’ve performed up to now, tied with the 1884 New York Gothams (once more behind the 1884 Maroons) for the second-lowest complete in MLB historical past.
The Rays’ massive inning began slowly however escalated shortly. Harold Ramírez led off with a double down the left-field line in opposition to Corey Kluber, who threw the final pitch of the newest significant sport misplaced by Tampa Bay: Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series in Cleveland final October.
Josh Lowe labored a stroll, and Francisco Mejía slapped a changeup inches off the bottom to proper discipline for an RBI single. Yandy Díaz lofted a fly ball to proper discipline that moved Lowe into scoring place, then Brandon Lowe and Randy Arozarena adopted with a pair of RBI singles off lefty reliever Richard Bleier to place Tampa Bay on prime.
The Rays didn’t let up, although. After Wander Franco was hit within the elbow by a pitch, pinch-hitter Manuel Margot dropped a wonderfully positioned bunt single to drive in one other run. Ramírez cleared the bases with a double, capping the rally simply as he began it.
