FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014 vs. NEW YORK YANKEES LH Erik Bedard (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Hiroki Kuroda (2-1, 3.86) First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. | Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. | TV: Sun Sports | Radio: WDAE 620 AM, WGES 680 AM (Spanish) Game No.: 17 (7-9) | Home Game No.: 9 (3-5) | All-Time Game No.: 2,607 (1,202-1,404) | All-Time Home Game No.: 1,303 (670-632) BEN & JULES BOOK SIGNING—Tomorrow from 11 a.m.–1 p.m., 2B/OF EASTERN SUPREMACY—Since 2011, BEST RECORD WITHIN Ben Zobrist and his wife, singer Julianna Zobrist, will hold a public book the Rays own the best record within AL EAST, SINCE 2011 signing at the Tropicana Field Team Store for their new autobiography, Dou- the AL East at 128-99 (.564)…during Tampa Bay 128-99 .564 ble Play…the book will be available there in the team store for $24.99. this span their four AL East opponents New York 124-107 .537 (BOS, NYY, BAL, TOR) all rank among Baltimore 113-118 .489 RAY MATTER—The Rays have lost 4 straight games and been outscored the majors’ top 9 in runs scored—yet the Boston 111-116 .489 Toronto 97-133 .422 32-7 during the skid…this is their longest streak since losing 5 straight, Aug Rays have recorded a 3.47 ERA, more 29–Sep 2, 2013…the Rays have slipped into a tie with Boston for fourth place than a run better than the rest of base- LOWEST ERA WITHIN in the AL East, 3.0 GB of first-place New York…at 7-9, the Rays have a losing ball (4.48) vs. these four clubs. AL EAST, SINCE 2011 record through 16 games for the 5th time in the last 7 years…the 2013 Rays Tampa Bay 3.47 New York 4.21 began 6-10 (.375) before going 86-61 (.585) over the rest of the season. BEDARD THE 21ST—Tonight LH Erik Boston 4.23 Ê This series finishes a stretch of 15 straight games vs. teams that had Bedard becomes the 21st starting pitch- Baltimore 4.31 winning records in 2013 (5-7 so far). er used by the Rays since 2008, fewest Toronto 4.79 Ê The Rays are the majors’ only unbeaten team in one-run games of any team in baseball (Giants 2nd with (4-0)…these wins account for their last 4 victories, including two 1-0 24)…the Orioles (45) and Padres (44) wins (April 8 at KC and Sat at CIN). have each used more than twice as many starters in this span…of the 21, Bedard is only the third signed as a free agent to make a start, joining RH LUMBER IN SLUMBER—Through 16 games the Rays have scored only Roberto Hernandez and RH Jamey Wright (both in 2013). 47 runs (2.94 per game) and are batting .221—both lowest in club history Ê Bedard is the seventh starter the Rays have used this season, equal- (prev. lows: 49 runs in 2001, .222 avg. in 2013)…the Rays .221 avg. is 2nd ing their total in 2009 and 2010, and one shy of their total in 2011 and lowest in the majors to Houston (.188)…in their last 10 games they’ve 2012…in 2013, the Rays used 10 different starters—their most in one scored only 16 runs, fewest over a 10-game span since their inaugural sea- season since since 2006 (12). son, when they scored as few as 14 over various stretches in July 1998… Ê Bedard is the fourth Canadian-born player in Rays history, following they’re batting .194/.264/.305 (63-for-325)…in the first 6 games before the OF Rich Butler (1998-99; Toronto, ONT), C Pete LaForest (2003-05; slump began, they scored 31 runs (5.2 per game) and hit .267/.372/.435. Hull, QC) and RH Jesse Crain (2013; Toronto, ONT)…he is the first Ê The Rays have been shut out three times, tied with Seattle for most in to pitch in a game for the Rays, as Crain was on the roster briefly last the AL, and twice more have been blanked through 8 innings before season but did not appear in a game. scoring in the 9th. MEDICAL MATTERS—Only three starting pitchers in the AL East are on the BAD GEOMETRY—According to Mark Simon of ESPN.com, the Rays are disabled list, and all three are Rays: RH Jeremy Hellickson (arthroscopic batting .589 on hard-hit balls—the lowest mark in the majors, followed by the right elbow surgery), LH Matt Moore (pending Tommy John surgery) and RH Mets at .590…major league average is .699. Alex Cobb (left oblique strain)…Rays Medical Director Dr. James Andrews Ê The Rays have a .259 batting avg. on balls in play (major league av- will operate on Moore on Tuesday in Pensacola, Fla., on Tuesday…he will erage .294)—that is, only 25.9 percent of balls they put in play have be the first Rays major leaguer to undergo Tommy John surgery since RH fallen for hits…this is the 2nd-lowest mark in the majors to Houston Jason Isringhausen nearly five years ago (June 16, 2009). (.223), and no team has sustained a BABIP that low over a full sea- Ê RH Juan Carlos Oviedo pitched a scoreless 7th inning last night for son since the 1989 Orioles (.259). Triple-A Durham vs. Norfolk, his 6th rehab outing for the Bulls…in his last 5 outings he has totaled 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R/ER, 0 BB, 6 SO. LITMUS TEST—The Rays are 0-8 when their starting pitcher fails to last 6 IP, and 7-1 when they do complete at least 6 IP…Rays starters have LONGO LOCKED WITH PEÑA—3B Evan Longoria is currently tied with not pitched more than 5.0 innings in 4 straight games, only the second Carlos Peña for the franchise home run record of 163…he’s gone 12 time in the last 5 seasons the Rays rotation has done this…the other was games and 45 at-bats since his home run that tied Peña, April 3 vs. TOR… May 31–June 4, 2013…they haven’t gone 5 straight starts of 5.0 innings or with his next long ball, he will become only franchise leader in baseball fewer since Sep 8-14, 2006 (6 games). currently with that team…next in line are CWS Paul Konerko (21 behind Frank Thomas’ 448), NYM David Wright (29 behind Darryl Strawberry’s TRIPLE KILLING—Last night in the 2nd inning 1B Sean Rodriguez 252) and MIA Giancarlo Stanton (32 behind Dan Uggla’s 154)…he is 11 bounced into a 5-4-3 triple play, becoming the first player to hit into a pair doubles away from tying Carl Crawford’s club record of 215, and 42 RBI of triple plays since ATL Chipper Jones (2007, 1996) and before that, SD away from tying Crawford’s club record of 592. Tony Gwynn (1995, 1991)…it was the third time in club history the Rays have been on the wrong end of a triple play—prev. Aug 16, 2011 at BOS (Ro- LAST SEVEN YEARS—Since becoming the Rays in 2008, Tampa Bay driguez, 5-4-3) and June 11, 2006 at KC (Russell Branyan batting, 8-1-6-5). owns the 2nd-best record in the majors (557-432, .563) after the Yankees Ê Rodriguez added a home run in the 7th inning…the last player to hit and are the only team with five 90-win seasons in that span…they have into a triple play and homer in the same game was NYY Russell reached the postseason four times in the last six years, tied with the Cardi- Martin on Sep 27, 2011 at TB. nals, Phillies and Yankees for tops in baseball. Ê Since 2008 the Rays have won six BBWAA awards, most in MLB: RAYS vs. YANKEES—Last night’s 10-2 setback was the Rays most lop- Joe Maddon (2008 and 2011 sided loss to the Yankees since April 10, 2010 at Tropicana Field (10-0)… AL Manager of the Year), David MAJORS’ BEST RECORDS, tonight is the second of 19 games scheduled between the clubs…Rays Price (2012 AL Cy Young), Evan SINCE 2008 New York-AL 574-414 .581 make their first visit to the Bronx to finish off their next road trip, May 2-4… Longoria (2008 AL ROY), Jer- Tampa Bay 557-432 .563 in 2013 the Rays posted a 12-7 record vs. New York, best in club history emy Hellickson (2011 AL ROY) St. Louis 548-440 .555 (5-4 at home, 7-3 at Yankee Stadium), and won 8 of their last 10 meetings… and Wil Myers (2013 AL ROY). additional notes on the 2013 season series with New York: Ê Rays pitchers shut out the Yankees four times—only the third team in TANDEM WITH TENURE—Now entering their ninth season together, Ex- the last 30 years to do so (1997 Blue Jays, 1990 A’s). ecutive VP of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and Manager Joe Ê The Rays recorded a 2.98 ERA (172.1-IP, 57-ER), lowest by any team Maddon are the longest-tenured GM/manager pairing in baseball. vs. NYY (min. 10 games) since the 1997 Blue Jays (2.89)…they held New York to a .213 bating avg., lowest of any Yankees opponent 64% OF ROSTER ACQUIRED BY TRADE—Sixteen players on the Rays since 1990 when the A’s, Red Sox and White Sox were all lower.