FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2017 vs. TORONTO BLUE JAYS RH Chris Archer (2-1, 3.43) vs. LH Francisco Liriano (2-2, 3.97) First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. | Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. | TV: Fox Sports Sun | Radio: WDAE 620 AM, WGES 680 AM (Sp.) Game No.: 31 (15-15) | Home Game No.: 16 (10-5) | All-Time Game No.: 3,107 (1,435-1,669) | All-Time Home Game No.: 1,556 (790-765) April: 12-14 | May: 3-1 ROSTER MOVE—Today the Rays selected LH Justin Marks from Triple-A road trip…2B Brad Miller leads the AL with 25 BB and ranks 2nd in the Durham and optioned RH Chih-Wei Hu to Durham…Marks, who pitched in majors, one behind WAS Bryce Harper…last season, he didn’t reach 25 4 games for the Rays as a September call up last year, will wear No. 59. BB until Aug 4 vs. KC, the team’s 107th game. FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDATION—Today the Rays will recognize over BACK AND FORTH—The Rays are 9-9 in their last 18 games despite hold- 25 Season Ticket Holders on the field during a check presentation to the ing a lead in 17 of those 18 games…9 of their 15 wins have been of the come- Rays Baseball Foundation prior to the game…the Season Ticket Holders back variety, tied for 4th most in the AL, behind Houston (12), Los Angeles selected a donation in their name to the foundation as part of their Double (11) and Detroit (10)…Rays have blown a lead in 7 of their last 8 losses. Play renewal gift for purchasing season tickets for 2017 and 2018…Evan Longoria, Kevin Kiermaier and Wilson Ramos will join the check pre- TIME OF GAME—The Rays have played 8 consecutive games of 3 hours sentation as the Rays top contributors to the Rays Baseball Foundation…a or longer, and 17 of their last 18…overall, only 6 of their 30 games have total of 70 Season Ticket Holder accounts donated to the foundation, which been under 3 hours…they have averaged 3 hours, 18 minutes—or 3:14 also included a reception and Q&A with Rays President Brian Auld. excluding their 3 extra-inning games. FREEBIES THIS WEEKEND—Tomorrow, the first 15,000 fans will receive SCORING CHANGE—Upon further review from official scorerBill Mathews a Bubble Blowin’ Longo presented by FOX Sports Sun…on Sunday, all and the Elias Sports Bureau, last night Marlins 2B Dee Gordon was denied kids 14 and under will receive Batting Gloves courtesy of Suncoast Credit his 5th-inning stolen base and instead was charged with a caught steal- Union…all promotional items are available while supplies last. ing…Gordon slid into 2B ahead of the tag but overslid, and upon realizing Ê Tomorrow from 3–3:30 p.m., RH Chase Whitley will take photos with that he would not be able to get back to 2B without being tagged, attempted Season Ticket Holders in the Republic Bank Draft Room. to advance to 3B and was out in a rundown…this has been changed to a CS since Gordon was out having never had control of 2B, and C Derek RAY MATTER—With last night’s 5-1 win over Miami, the Rays won the “Cit- Norris is credited with an assist. rus Series” (season series vs. the Marlins), 3 games to 1, and evened their record at 15-15…they were one out away from their second shutout of the RAYS OWN IRON MAN—Evan Longoria returns to 3B tonight for the first year when Dee Gordon hit an RBI single…with a win tonight, they could re- time since Sun at TOR…he started at DH the last 2 games vs. Miami after claim a winning record for the first time in 13 days (10-9 through April 22), as sitting out the 2 games at Miami (Mon-Tues)…since the start of the 2013 they have lost 4 straight games when they had a chance to move above .500. season, Longoria’s 670 games played lead the majors, followed by SEA Kyle Ê 42 of the Rays first 46 games (through May 21) are against teams Seager (664), NYY/SEA Robinson Canó (663) and LAA Mike Trout (661). that finished the 2016 season with a .500 record or better…the only exception is the 4 games they just finished with the Marlins. MR. DURABLE—Tonight’s starter RH Chris Archer leads the majors with Ê The Rays are 8-12 against AL East opponents, and 7-3 against teams 128 starts since June 1, 2013, the day he was recalled for good…following outside the division…their first 14 games were vs. AL East rivals. him on that list is DET/WAS Max Scherzer (127) and former teammate Ê This is the seventh game in a stretch of 20 games in 20 days (4-3 James Shields (126)…Shields entered this season as the major league thus far), and the 23rd in a stretch of 35 games in 36 days (10-12). leader over that span, but is currently on the DL with a strained right lat. Ê Archer has thrown at least 100 pitches in 15 straight starts, dating RAYS vs. JAYS—The Rays lead the season series, 4-3, with 12 games back to Aug 12, 2016, longest such streak of his career (prev. 9, June remaining…they are 3-1 here, and 1-2 in Toronto…Rays have won 8 of the 23–Aug 9, 2015)…it’s the longest active streak in the majors and 3rd last 9 season series, including 2016 (11-8) when they were the only team longest in club history, behind Shields (21 in 2011-12) and LH David in the AL East with a winning record vs. the Blue Jays…Rays are 180-160 Price (19 in 2014)…threw under 100 pitches in 9 of his first 24 starts (.529) all-time, their most wins against any opponent…their winning pct. is last season before his current streak began. their 2nd best against an AL opponent behind their 18-9 record vs. Houston Ê Three times this season Archer has gone at least 7 IP and yielded 2 (AL only). runs or fewer, tied for the 3rd most such starts in the AL behind HOU Dallas Keuchel (6) and BOS Chris Sale (5)…he had one such start DOME SWEET DOME—The Rays are 10-5 (.667) at home, tied for 5th best all of last season—Aug 17 vs. SD (7.1-IP, 0-R/ER). in the majors behind the Yankees (12-3), Orioles (8-3), D-backs (12-5) and Angels (9-4)…the Rays have hit .272/.346/.439 (140-for-499) at home while COREY DICKERSON—Has 12 multi-hit games, 2nd in the AL to NYY Star- scoring 5.2 R/G (73-R, 14-G), compared to .208/.310/.359 and 3.4 R/G on lin Castro (13) and most by a Ray through 30 games since Evan Longoria the road…the Rays have committed only 5 errors in 15 home games, com- in 2010 (12)…he ranks among AL leaders in avg. (.324, 8th), hits (33, 6th), pared to 12 errors in 15 road games. doubles (9, T-3rd), XBH (15, T-4th), total bases (60, 5th), SLG (.588, 9th) and OPS (.961, 9th)…vs. LHP, 7 of his 11 hits have gone for extra bases TWO-TIME TIM—Last night SS Tim Beckham had his second career multi- (6-2B, 1-HR)…has 5 HR out of the No. 1 spot in the batting order, T-4th in HR game, both in a span of 7 games (April 26 at BAL)…is the fourth Ray all- the majors and 2nd in the AL to HOU George Springer (7). time with a pair of multi-HR games within the team’s first 30 games, following Steven Souza Jr. (2016), Evan Longoria (2009) and Greg Vaughn (2000). 429 AND COUNTING—Tonight’s start by RH Chris Archer will be the Ê Beckham’s 6 HR have all come as a shortstop, tying COL Trevor 429th consecutive Rays game started by a pitcher under the age of 30, the Story for 2nd most in the majors behind CLE Francisco Lindor longest current streak in the majors…35-year-old LH Erik Bedard (July 3, (7)…it also passes his 2016 season total (5 HR in 198 AB). 2014 at DET) was the last 30-plus pitcher to start a game for the Rays… Ê All 6 HR have come over his last 17 games, beginning April 16, tied entering today, since June 26, 2006, the Rays have started a pitcher under for 3rd in the AL behind NYY Aaron Judge (10-HR) and TEX Joey the age of 30 in 1,663 of their last 1,737 games (96 pct.) including a streak Gallo (7) over that span…Beckham is batting .338/.371/.708 (22-for- of 764 games over 2007-11. 65) with 10 XBH and 15 RBI during this stretch. Ê The Rays have used only 29 different starting pitchers in the Rays Ê Tied a career high with 4 RBI (also July 28, 2015 vs. DET)…gave him era (since 2008), fewest in the majors…the Giants are next with 32; 10 RBI in 11 career games (6 starts) against the Marlins. the Indians are the next fewest in the AL with 39…Toronto has used Ê His first homer was his third go-ahead homer of the season (also 51…LAD and SD have used the most (65 each).