Webdesk: The Tampa Bay Rays are only the third team to start a season with 13 straight wins.
Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe hit solo homers Thursday to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-3. The Rays scored seven runs in the fifth inning to set a Tropicana Field record.
The Rays’ record-setting start matches the 1982 Atlanta Braves and 1987 Milwaukee Brewers. The St. Louis Maroons went 20-0 in 1884 in the former Union Association league, the only other team to do so. The 1916 New York Giants had baseball’s longest winning streak, 26 games.
The Rays’ record-tying win was marred by pitcher Jeffrey Springs’ fourth-inning injury. The team announced Springs had ulnar neuritis. After Tyler Glasnow in spring training and Zach Elfin earlier this week, Springs is Tampa Bay’s third injured starter.
After their historic win, Rays manager Kevin Cash lauded his squad. “Pretty amazing, congrats to all of our guys,” he remarked. I’m pleased we did it at home because our fans were amazing. Our soldiers were energised by their loudness when needed. We’re happy with every aspect of our game.”
After Rob Refsnyder’s first-inning home run put the Red Sox up, Diaz’s shot tied the game for the Rays.
The Red Sox took a 3-1 lead in the fourth and fifth innings, but Tampa Bay’s bats blasted the game open in the bottom of the fifth. Before Harold Ramirez’s three-run double, Francisco Mejia, Randy Arozarena, Manuel Margot, and Lowe hit run-scoring singles. The Rays won a stunning game when Lowe hit a solo home run in the seventh inning.
