THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017 vs. DETROIT TIGERS RH Erasmo Ramirez (1-0, 3.72) vs. LH Daniel Norris (1-0, 2.19) First Pitch: 1:10 p.m. | Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. | TV: None | Radio: WDAE 620 AM Game No.: 17 (8-8) | Home Game No.: 10 (7-2) | All-Time Game No.: 3,093 (1,428-1,664) | All-Time Home Game No.: 1,550 (787-762) SALUTING JACKIE TOMORROW—Tomorrow the Rays organization will their worst season series vs. the Tigers. hold a Breaking Barriers event to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Ê Tigers DH Victor Martinez is a career .346/.409/.525 (116-for-335) Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier in 1947…the Rays will hitter in 85 games vs. the Rays…that avg. ranks 3rd all-time among wear special T-shirts for BP…the Rays are also offering a Jackie Robinson Rays opponents (min. 250 PA), behind a pair of other former catch- Night ticket special for two (2) lower-box tickets for $42, available online at ers: MIN Joe Mauer (.358) and Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez raysbaseball.com/42 or at the Tropicana Field box office…many more pre- (.351)…at Tropicana Field, Martinez owns a .353 (66-for-187) mark. game festivities are planned; see separate release later today for details… MLB’s official Jackie Robinson Day was Saturday in Boston. SOUZA-PALOOZA—RF Steven Souza Jr. has reached base multiple times in 11 games this season, tied with KC Lorenzo Cain for most such RAY MATTER—The Rays won last night, 8-7, in walk-off fashion on a games in the AL…Souza leads the team with a .328 avg., 12 RBI (T-6th in throwing error by Tigers SS José Iglesias, allowing both the tying (Kevin AL), 10 walks (T-7th in AL), .426 OBP (7th in AL) and .421 avg. with RISP Kiermaier) and go-ahead (Peter Bourjos) runs to cross the plate on the (10th in AL)…since the beginning of September, is batting .327/.417/.536 double play attempt…it was the ninth time in club history the Rays won on a (36-for-110) with 18 RBI in 31 games. walk-off error, and first time since Aug 24, 2016 vs. BOS on an 11th-inning fielding error by LH Heath Hembree…5 of the Rays 8 wins this season KK ON DISPLAY—Last night CF Kevin Kiermaier scored a career-high have been of the comeback variety…six Rays players had multi-hit games 4 runs, the first in the majors to do so this year and the first Ray since Wil last night…1-through-3 hitters went 8-for-13 with 7 runs, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB. Myers on April 19, 2014 vs. NYY…he is now tied for 5th in the AL with 12 Ê Today the Rays aim for their first sweep since Aug 15-17, 2016 vs. runs scored…over the last 4 games, Kiermaier is 8-for-17 (.471) to raise his SD, and first sweep of Detroit since July 26-29, 2010 (4 games here). season avg. from .200 to .274. Ê The Rays have won the first 2 games of the homestand after a 1-6 road trip…their 5-game winning streak at Tropicana Field is their lon- SNAPPED…WITH A FLOURISH—RH Austin Pruitt last night notched his gest since May 12-22, 2015 (5)…their last 6-game winning streak at first career victory by pitching the final 3.1 innings (1-H, 0-R, 0-BB, 5-SO)… home was April 22–May 1, 2015 (6). he retired his first 8 batters in order and faced the minimum 10 batters, Ê The Rays are 7-4 when facing right-handed starting pitchers, and 1-4 as the 9th-inning single to 1B Miguel Cabrera was erased by a double when facing left-handed starters. play…prior to last night, Pruitt had begun his career by allowing a run in his Ê This 6-game homestand vs. Detroit and Houston are the Rays first first 6 career appearances, all in relief…this was the longest such streak in non-divisional foes this season, after playing their first 14 games franchise history and longest in the majors since Padres/Pirates RH Marty within the AL East (6-8). McLeary in 2004-06 (6). Ê The last Rays reliever to face the minimum batters over at least 3.1 IP HOMEBODIES—The Rays are 7-2 at home, and 1-6 on the road…only was RH Roberto Hernandez on Sep 3, 2013 at LAA (3.2). once before in Rays history have they won 7 of their first 9 home games (8-1 in 2012)…in 2012, they actually began the season 13-1 at home…a WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES—RH Chris Archer’s first 4 starts further breakdown for 2017: of 2017 have been dramatically better than his first 4 starts of 2016…the Home (7-2) Road (1-6) Rays are 4-0 in his 4 starts this season, and were 0-4 a year ago…this is the Runs 46 (5.1 R/G) 26 (3.7 R/G) first time the Rays have won 4 consecutive starts by Archer since June 2- HR 8 9 23, 2015 (5)…has received 21 runs of support over his first 4 starts…last AVG/OBP/SLG .282/.363/.416 .218/.280/.393 season over his first 4 starts, he received a total of 2 runs of support—and BB/SO 40/84 18/84 it took 9 starts before he received 21 runs. Runs Allowed 34 (4.2 R/G) 37 (5.3 R/G) Chris Archer’s First 4 Starts, 2016-17 Starter ERA 4.00 (54-IP, 24-ER) 2.86 (34.2-IP, 11-ER) W-L ERA IP H R ER BB SO HR AVG/OBP/SLG RS Bullpen ERA 2.17 (29-IP, 7-ER) 6.85 (22.1-IP, 17-ER) 2017 2-0 3.20 25.1 25 9 9 8 27 0 .255/.311/.327 21 opp AVG/OBP/SLG .208/.280/.347 .298/.360/.466 2016 0-4 7.32 19.2 30 18 16 11 29 6 .345/.418/.598 2 BB/SO 28/72 22/35 Errors 3 6 ERASMO STEPS IN—RH Erasmo Ramirez makes a spot start for RH ELIAS SAYS—Before last night’s comeback, the Rays had not won any of Jake Odorizzi, on the DL with a left hamstring strain…although he is the their previous 102 games in which they trailed in the 9th inning or later, since sixth starting pitcher used by the Rays this year he started 28 games in Oct 3, 2015 vs. TOR, when Tim Beckham’s 2-run single capped a 4-3 win 2015 and 1 in 2016…in the Rays era (since 2008), Tampa Bay has used on the penultimate day of the season…that had been the second-longest only 28 different starting pitchers, fewest in the majors…the Giants are next current streak in the majors entering Wednesday, behind Minnesota (128). with 32; the Indians are the next fewest in the AL with 39…the Tigers have used 44…the Dodgers and Padres have used the most (65 each). Ê STAY THIRSTY, MY FRIENDS—The Rays have won twice in walk-off fash- After 16 games, Rays starting pitchers have crafted a 3.55 ERA, ion this season, last night and April 8 vs. TOR (Brad Miller walk-off walk)… lowest among AL East rotations…the others: Yankees 3.87, Orioles despite this, they haven’t hit a walk-off home run since May 22, 2014 vs. 4.14, Blue Jays 4.23, Red Sox 4.87. OAK (Sean Rodriguez), the longest drought in the majors…in the time since then, the Rays have: PUNCH BROTHERS—The Rays offense leads the majors with 168 SO, Ê played 232 home games. ahead of Milwaukee (160), and 40 more than any other AL club (Angels, Ê won 13 of those games in some other walk-off fashion. 130)…they’ve fanned at least 10 times in 7 of their last 9 games…last year Ê hit 227 home runs at Tropicana Field. the Rays offense had 144 SO through 16 games and went on to strike out a Ê allowed 11 walk-off homers on the road. club-record 1,482 times, which was 2nd most in AL history. Ê On the flip side, Rays pitchers have tallied 107 SO, tied with Detroit EARLY AND OFTEN—Despite last night’s late-inning rally, the Rays have for 3rd fewest in the AL…a year ago through 16 games they had 150. had more success scoring runs early in the game…in the 1st inning, the Rays lead all AL teams with 18 runs scored, a .324 avg., .397 OBP and .544 TOMORROW’S BARGAIN—$7.11 Fridays, presented by 7-Eleven…For SLG…in innings 1-through-4 they have outscored opponents 45-29…from all Friday home games, fans may purchase Upper Level tickets for only the 5th inning on, they have been outscored 42-27. $7.11…to take advantage of this special price, fans should visit a participat- ing local 7-Eleven store and pick up the Rays Friday night discount cou- RAYS vs. TIGERS—Today the Rays seek their first sweep of the Tigers pon…the coupon code will be redeemable online or at the Tropicana Field since July 26-29, 2010 (4 games here)…a year ago the Rays were swept in Box Office…each coupon will be good for up to four (4) tickets…coupons 4 games in their home series vs.