SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2017 Vs. HOUSTON ASTROS LH Blake Snell (0-2, 2.76) Vs
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SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2017 vs. HOUSTON ASTROS LH Blake Snell (0-2, 2.76) vs. RH Charlie Morton (1-1, 2.81) First Pitch: 6:10 p.m. | Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. | TV: Fox Sports Sun | Radio: WDAE 620 AM, WGES 680 AM (Sp.) Game No.: 19 (9-9) | Home Game No.: 12 (8-3) | All-Time Game No.: 3,095 (1,429-1,665) | All-Time Home Game No.: 1,552 (788-763) COMMUNITY SERVICE—Today Rays staff, Season Ticket Holders and HOMEBODIES—The Rays are 8-3 at home, and 1-6 on the road…their 8 community volunteers completed three community service events as part wins are tied with the Yankees (8-1) for the most home wins in baseball…in of the Breaking Barriers celebration this weekend…they mulched, weeded, fact, the AL East boasts four of the majors’ five best home records: Yankees landscaped and pressure-washed at Progress Village Park and Larry Sand- (8-1, .889), D-backs (7-1, .875), Orioles (5-1, .833), Red Sox (7-2, .778) and ers Sports Complex in Tampa, and painted at the Dr. David T. Welch Center Rays (8-3, .727)…a further breakdown for 2017: for Progress and Community Development in St. Petersburg. Home (8-3) Road (1-6) Ê Today RH Alex Colomé signed autographs for fans at GTE Finan- Runs 57 (5.2 R/G) 26 (3.7 R/G) cial in Tampa…OF Steven Souza Jr. conducted hitting lessons for HR 14 9 Season Ticket Holders as part of the Double Play renewal program. AVG/OBP/SLG .282/.357/.449 .218/.280/.393 BB/SO 44/99 18/84 HBD, KK—Today is CF Kevin Kiermaier’s 27th birthday. Runs Allowed 41 (3.7 R/G) 37 (5.3 R/G) Starter ERA 4.01 (65-IP, 29-ER) 2.86 (34.2-IP, 11-ER) Bullpen ERA 2.25 (36-IP, 9-ER) 6.85 (22.1-IP, 17-ER) —Last night the Rays placed LH on the D.L. REACHES 10 Xavier Cedeño opp AVG/OBP/SLG .214/.281/.351 .298/.360/.466 10-day DL with left forearm tightness, retroactive to April 18, and recalled BB/SO 33/89 22/35 RH Ryan Garton from Triple-A Durham…Cedeño becomes the 10th player Errors 4 6 on the Rays DL and third since Opening Day following OF Mallex Smith (right hamstring strain) and RH Jake Odorizzi (left hamstring strain)…this THE JUICE BOX SERIES—Tonight is the second of 7 games between the leaves the Rays bullpen without a lefty for the first time since April 23-24, Rays and Astros…after this 3-game series at Tropicana Field, the Rays 2015, when LH Jake McGee, Jeff Beliveau and C.J. Riefenhauser were travel for a 4-game series July 31–Aug 3 at Minute Maid Park…the Rays on the DL and Cedeño was acquired later that week. lead the all-time series, 24-16 (11-6 at home, 13-10 in Houston)…since the Ê Tonight OF Colby Rasmus (recovery from right hip surgery) is Astros joined the AL in 2013, Rays pitchers are 18-10 (.643) with a 2.24 scheduled to play LF in a rehab appearance in Double-A Montgom- ERA (253.2-IP, 172-H, 70-R, 63-ER, 77-BB, 283-SO, .192 opp avg.)—and 8 ery against Mississippi (Braves)…in his only prev. rehab game, April of those 18 wins have been shutouts…in 2016 they split the season series, 6 for Class-A Charlotte, Rasmus was involved in an outfield collision. 3-3, but the Rays went 5-2 each year from 2013-15. RAY MATTER—Last night’s 6-3 loss snapped the Rays season-high-tying COREY DICKERSON—Last night hit his second career leadoff homer, both 3-game winning streak and a 6-game winning streak at Tropicana Field… coming within his 12 starts there this season (also April 5 vs. NYY, Michael it was their 6th loss since the start of 2016 when hitting 3 HR or more (last Pineda)…only three others have hit multiple leadoff homers this season: Sep 21, 2016 vs. NYY, 5 HR)…the solo HR accounted for all 3 of their HOU George Springer (4), PHI Cesar Hernandez (2) and SD Manuel runs, one each in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd innings (Corey Dickerson, Logan Margot (2)…all 4 HR this season have been solo shots. Morrison, Evan Longoria respectively)…it was their second straight game Ê Has 4 XBH in his last 5 games and 10 XBH in 17 games this season, hitting 3 HR…a win tonight could clinch their second straight winning home- breaking a tie with Steven Souza Jr. (9) for the team lead…since stand to begin the season; in 2016, the Rays didn’t record a winning homes- the All-Star break last season, he ranks T-3rd in the AL with Evan tand until July 29–Aug 7 vs. NYY/KC/MIN (6-4)…6 of their 9 wins have been Longoria with 44 XBH. of the comeback variety, including 2 walk-off wins. Ê His homer went 433 feet, according to Statcast…marks his 2nd lon- Ê The Rays are 3-1 outside the AL East…the Rays played their first 14 gest as a Ray, following his 448-foot homer on June 14, 2016 vs. games within the division, going 6-8. SEA, off Taijuan Walker. Ê The Rays are 7-5 when facing right-handed starting pitchers, and 2-4 when facing left-handed starters. EVAN LONGORIA—With his 3rd-inning home run snapped a 52-AB homer- less drought, his first since April 7 vs. TOR…all 3 HR and 9 of his 10 RBI this YOUR OFFENSIVE LEADERS—The Rays lead the American League with season have come at Tropicana Field, where he is batting .262/.360/.500 83 runs scored, and rank 4th in the majors behind Arizona (92), Milwaukee (11-for-42). (96) and Washington (84)…it should be noted the Rays also are tied for the AL lead in games played (18)…this is their most runs scored after 18 games EARLY AND OFTEN—Despite last night’s late-inning rally, the Rays have since 2012 (84), and a year ago, the Rays had scored only 65 at this point… had more success scoring runs early in the game…in innings 1-through-3, over the past three seasons (2014-16) the Rays ranked last in the AL in the Rays lead the majors with 47 runs (including a MLB-most 20 in the 1st runs scored (1,928), finishing last in 2014 and 14th in both 2015 and 2016. inning), a .309 avg. and .366 OBP…they have outscored opponents 47-27 in Ê The Rays also lead the AL with 261 total bases (1st), 54 XBH (1st) innings 1-through-3, but have been outscored 51-36 from the 4th inning on. and 4 3B (T-1st with Detroit)…they rank among AL leaders with 23 HR (2nd behind Texas, 25), 157 hits (2nd behind Boston, 162), .428 416 AND COUNTING—Last night’s start by RH Alex Cobb was the 416th SLG (3rd) and a 83.3 SB pct. (10-for-12; T-2nd). consecutive Rays game started by a pitcher under the age of 30, the lon- Ê The Rays offense has 183 SO, 29 more than any other AL team gest current streak in the majors…35-year-old LH Erik Bedard (July 3, (Toronto)…last year the Rays offense had 169 SO through 18 games 2014 at DET) was the last 30-plus pitcher to start a game for the Rays… and finished with a club-record 1,482 SO, 2nd most in AL history. entering today, since June 26, 2006, the Rays have started a pitcher under the age of 30 in 1,651 of their last 1,725 games (96 pct.) including a streak PICK TWO: A FIRST IN 14 YEARS—RH Alex Cobb picked off HOU Jose of 764 games over 2007-11. Altuve twice last night, in the 4th and 5th innings…it tied the club record for “straight” pickoffs (excludes pickoff/CS) in a game and was the fourth STAY THIRSTY, MY FRIENDS—The Rays have won twice in walk-off fash- such occurrence, first since RH James Shields on July 5, 2011 at MIN… ion this season, Wed vs. DET (José Iglesias error) and April 8 vs. TOR according to the Elias Sports Bureau, it marked the first time in 14 years that (Brad Miller walk-off walk)…despite this, they haven’t hit a walk-off home a pitcher picked off a base runner twice in the same game (straight pickoffs run since May 22, 2014 vs. OAK (Sean Rodriguez), the longest drought in only; pickoff/CS excluded)…the last few occurrences: the majors…in the time since then, the Rays have: RH Alex Cobb, TB 4/21/17 vs. HOU Jose Altuve Ê played 234 home games. LH Terry Mulholland, CLE 9/11/03 at KC Desi Relaford Ê won 13 of those games in some other walk-off fashion. RH Jason Davis, CLE 7/10/03 vs. NYY Alfonso Soriano Ê hit 233 home runs at Tropicana Field. LH Jimmy Haynes, OAK 4/4/98 vs. NYY Chuck Knoblauch Ê allowed 11 walk-off homers on the road. RH Pedro Martinez, MTL 9/20/97 at ATL Kenny Lofton TOMORROW—All kids 14 and under will receive Blade Sunglasses pre- #SCTOP10—In the 2nd inning last night, the Rays had back-to-back plays sented by Morgan Auto Group, while supplies last…from noon–12:30, two that made the SportsCenter “Top 10”…SS Tim Beckham made a play in current Rays players (to be determined) will sign for kids 14 and under the hole to throw out that registered at No.