THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014 at BALTIMORE ORIOLES LH Braulio Lara vs. RH Miguel Gonzalez First Pitch: 1:05 p.m. | Location: Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, Fla. | TV: None | Radio: None Game No: 7 (4-1-1) | vs. AL: 3-1 | vs. NL: 1-0-1 | Home: 3-1 | Road: 1-0-1 Day 21 of Spring Training | 25 Days Until Opening Day—Monday, March 31 vs. TOR (4:10 p.m.) TIME TO ADJUST—The Rays made late changes to their schedule and CAL JR. COMING TO TOWN—Hall TODAY’S STARTING LINEUP travel squad today due to weather concerns in Sarasota…the previously of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. will attend the 7 David DeJesus (L) LF scheduled pitchers—starter LH David Price and relievers RH Heath Bell, Rays-Pirates game at Charlotte Sports 9 Wil Myers (R) RF RH Josh Lueke, RH Alex Colome and RH Nathan Karns—will throw in Park on March 13 to sign his newest book, 21 James Loney (L) 1B a 10 a.m. simulated game at the Charlotte Sports Complex…LH Braulio Squeeze Play, a middle-grade novel that 3 Evan Longoria (R) 3B Lara will start in Sarasota intsead of Price, with a new group of relievers is the fourth installment in the New York 11 Yunel Escobar (R) SS behind him (see Upcoming Probables). Times best-selling “Cal Ripken Jr.’s All- 73 Jeremy Moore (L) DH 10 Logan Forsythe (R) 2B Stars” series…the signing will begin short- 28 Jose Molina (R) C SLICE OF GRAPEFRUIT—The Rays have BEST RECORDS, MLB, ly after gates open at 11 a.m. 1 Sean Rodriguez (R) CF won 4 straight games and, at 4-1, own the SPRING TRAINING 75 Braulio Lara LHP third-best record in the majors and second- Cleveland 6-1 .857 TEST DRIVE TOMORROW—Tomorrow best record in the Grapefruit League…only Pittsburgh 6-1 .857 is the first of 6 scheduled Rays spring Rays IN Cleveland (6-1) and Pittsburgh (6-1) have Tampa Bay 4-1 .800 training games in which instant replay SPRING TRAINING been better. Seattle 6-2 .750 will be available (also March 10 vs. BOS, W-L-T Home Att. Miami 5-2 .714 2014 4-1-1 21,263 Ê This is the Rays 17th spring training March 16 vs. BOS, March 18 at MIN, Kansas City 5-2 .714 2013 15-17-2 90,935 and sixth in Charlotte County…today March 23 at BOS, March 24 at MIN)… 2012 10-16-6 87,916 is the seventh of 29 games on the the purpose of using instant replay during 2011 15-14-2 95,859 Grapefruit League slate and third of 14 road games, plus a March 29 spring training is to test the on-field pro- 2010 20-8-2 97,971 exhibition at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala., home of the cess, not the complete review process… 2009 15-16-1 103,255 Rays Double-A affiliate. replay officials will be instructed to make 2008 18-8-2 54,960 Ê Since becoming the Rays in 2008, the club is 97-80-16 (.548) in quick decisions during spring training test- 2007 10-19-2 79,044 Grapefruit League play and has won 15-plus games in 5 of 6 sea- ing, and will perform reviews from a truck 2006 13-16-1 70,756 sons, after having none in their first 10 springs as the Devil Rays. located on-site rather than in New York. 2005 13-16-0 61,261 2004 11-8-0 43,916 2003 8-19-3 51,234 BEST IN PITCHING & DEFENSE—After 6 games, the Rays lead all major PAYING IT FORWARD—Proceeds from 2002 10-16-1 49,043 league clubs with a 2.29 ERA (55-IP, 14-ER)…Seattle ranks 2nd at 2.35, the sale of single-game tickets to the 2001 12-15-1 57,081 and Pittsburgh ranks 2nd among Grapefruit League teams at 2.75…the Rays-Twins game on Tuesday, March 11 2000 14-17-0 67,089 Rays also lead the majors with a .996 fielding pct. (1 error in 6 games)… at Charlotte Sports Park will be donated to 1999 14-14-1 59,230 yesterday minor league call-up 3B Richie Shaffer committed their first error the Rays community partners in Charlotte 1998 12-18-0 66,781 of the spring…the Rays are one of three clubs with only 1 error, along with County: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Total 214-238-25 1,157,484 the Cardinals and White Sox, who have each played 5 games. Sun Coast, the Charlotte County Family YMCA, Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity and the Charlotte County YESTERDAY—Three home runs powered the Rays to a 5-4 comeback vic- Homeless Coalition will be the recipients…representatives from each will tory over the Yankees at Charlotte Sports Park, extending their winning throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the 1:05 p.m. game. streak to 4 games…2B Ben Zobrist hit a leadoff homer in the 1st inning… in the 5th inning, the Rays overcame a 4-1 deficit with a 3-run homer by CF FORTUNE FAVORS THE BALD—On March 16 before the Rays host the Desmond Jennings that cleared the left field boardwalk and a solo shot by Red Sox at Charlotte Sports Park at 1:05 p.m., the Rays will once again DH Matt Joyce two batters later…in his first start of the spring, LH Cesar shave their heads to raise funds and awareness for the Pediatric Cancer Ramos totaled 2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 42 pitches, 27 strikes… Foundation…it will be the third straight year the team has participated…for LH Erik Bedard picked up the win with 3.0 scoreless innings (3-H, 1-BB, more information visit pcfcutforacure.org. 2-SO, 42 pitches, 27 strikes)…RH Jake Odorizzi earned the save with a scoreless 9th (2-H, 1-SO). BOWL ’EM OVER—On March 29, for the third consecutive year, LH David Price will host the David Price Bowl For Kids’ Sake fundraiser…the event has RAYS vs. ORIOLES—Today is the second of 6 spring games between these raised $70,000 the past two years for Big Brothers Big Sisters…for more info clubs…the Rays lost their spring opener to the O’s, 4-2, at Charlotte Sports visit bbbsfl.org or contact Amy Hollington at (813) 769-3636. Park last Friday but have not lost a game since (4-0-1)…in 2013 spring train- ing the Rays went 3-1 vs. Baltimore (2-0 in Sarasota, 2-1 at home). SIX YEARS AS THE RAYS—Since changing their name to the Rays in Ê During the 2013 regular season the Rays went 13-6 against the O’s, 2008, the Rays are 550-423 (.565), second-best record in the majors af- their second-best mark ever vs. Baltimore (15-3 in 2008)…they fin- ter the Yankees (564-408)…Tampa Bay is one of four teams to reach the ished the season series winning 11 of their last 13 including their postseason four times, along with the Phillies (four), Yankees (four) and first-ever 4-game sweep of the Orioles at Tropicana Field, Sep 20-23. Cardinals (four)…they have five seasons of 90-plus wins in this span, the Ê The Rays went 5-1 in one-run games vs. Baltimore in 2013, after only team to make that claim…the Rays and Rangers are the only teams going 1-6 in 2012. with 90-plus wins in each of the past four seasons. Ê Since 2008 the Rays have won six BBWAA awards, most in the majors REMEMBER WHEN—Last Sep 20 the Rays won a 5-4, 18-inning mara- over that span: Joe Maddon (2008 and 2011 AL Manager of the Year), thon—the longest game in club history by both innings and time (6:54)… David Price (2012 AL Cy Young), Evan Longoria (2008 AL ROY), LF David DeJesus delivered a walk-off single at 2:05 a.m. for the victory… Jeremy Hellickson (2011 AL ROY) and Wil Myers (2013 AL ROY). the teams used a combined 21 pitchers (Rays 11, Orioles 10) to set a new major league record and the Rays tied the major league record for most TANDEM WITH TENURE—Now entering their ninth season together, Ex- pitchers used in a game…they combined to throw 593 pitches (Rays 301, ecutive VP of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and Manager Joe Orioles 292)…the on-field celebration included Chewbacca and Gene Maddon are the longest-tenured GM/manager pairing in baseball. Simmons masks. INFIELD INTACT—The Rays opened spring training with all four of the in- COUNTDOWN TO OPENING DAY—Rays President Matt Silverman and field starters from Opening Day 2013, all of them Gold Glove Award finalists RH Joel Peralta will be special guests on tonight’s edition of the Count- last season: 1B James Loney, 2B Ben Zobrist, 3B Evan Longoria and down to Opening Day radio show on WDAE 620 AM and other stations on SS Yunel Escobar…on only two other occasions has the Rays Opening the Rays Radio Network…tonight’s show will be held at Hooters in Port Day starting infield come to camp the following year: 1998-99 and 2008- Charlotte (1360 Tamiami Trail) from 7–8 p.m. and hosted by Rays radio 09…Rays infielders committed only 36 errors, fewest in baseball, and only broadcasters Dave Wills, Andy Freed and Neil Solondz.