ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rays tied Major League Baseball’s post-1900 record for 13 consecutive wins to begin a season, rallying to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-3 Thursday behind a seven-run fifth inning started and capped by doubles by Harold Ramirez.
Tampa Bay matched the 1982 Atlanta Braves and 1987 Milwaukee Brewers’ 13-0 starts. The only longer opening streak was a 20-0 start by the Union Association’s St. Louis Maroons in 1884. The Rays have won all but two games by four runs or more, outscoring opponents 101-30 while scoring the most runs and allowing the fewest.
The Rays set a team record for wins at any time in a season by topping a 12-game run in June 2004 in front of 21,175, the highest audience at Tropicana Field since opening day.
Boston has lost 13 straight games at the Trop, despite being restricted to four hits.
Rays starter Jeffrey Springs exited the game two pitches into the fourth inning with ulnar neuritis, an inflammation of the ulnar nerve that causes numbness or weakness. He exhaled a sigh of relief after hitting Justin Turner with a 79.8 mph changeup and an 83.5 mph fastball, then examined his hand and elbow.
The Rays set a team record for wins at any time in a season.
In the sixth, Tampa Bay trailed 3-1. Ramirez started the rally with a double off Corey Kluber (0-3) and put the game out of reach with a three-run double off Richard Bleier.
Francisco Meja’s run-scoring single cut the lead in half, and Brandon Lowe greeted Bleier, Boston’s only left-handed reliever, with a tying RBI single.
Randy Arozarena singled to make it 4-3, a pitch hit Wander Franco, and Manuel Margot scored on a bunt single. Ramirez then doubled into the left-field corner to make it 8-3.
Lowe blasted his fifth home run of the season in the eighth inning against Kutter Crawford. Yandy Daz tied the game at 1-1 in the first inning with his fourth of the season for the Rays, who lead the majors with 32.
Kevin Kelly (1-0), a 25-year-old right-hander who debuted on April 1, earned the victory after pitching 2 2/3 innings.
Braden Bristo, a 28-year-old right-hander, made his major league debut after seven seasons in the New York Yankees minor league system, pitching three hitless innings with four strikeouts and a walk.
Rob Refsnyder hit a first-inning home run, the first run off Springs in three starts this season.
In the fourth inning, Kiké Hernández hit into a run-scoring groundout following Triston Casas’ 14-pitch walk against Garret Cleavinger. Justin Turner drove in a run in the fifth inning with a soft fly to center that landed just in front of center fielder Justin Lowe, who attempted a diving catch.
MOVES IN THE ROSTER
Red Sox: RHP Zack Kelly has been placed on the 15-day injured list after departing Wednesday’s game with an elbow injury, and RHP Kutter Crawford has been promoted from Triple-A Worcester.
Rays: RHP Taj Bradley was optioned to Triple-A Durham after making his major league debut on Wednesday. Durham picked Bristo’s contract, and RHP Shane Baz (Tommy John surgery) was transferred to the 60-day IL.
WHAT COMES NEXT
Red Sox: On Friday, Tanner Houck (2-0) takes the mound against the Los Angeles Angels and LHP Patrick Sandoval (1-0).
Rays: On Friday, RHP Drew Rasmussen (2-0) takes the mound against RHP José Berros (0-2) in the series opener at Toronto.
SOURCE – (AP)
