TAMPA BAY RAYS (16-9) at BOSTON RED SOX (11-15) RH Charlie Morton (2-0, 3.38) vs. LH David Price (1-1, 3.75) Saturday, April 27, 2019 First Pitch: 4:05 p.m. Location: Fenway Park TV: FOX Sports Sun Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM, WLCC 760 AM (Sp.) Game No.: 26 (16-9) Road Game No.: 10 (7-2) All-Time Game No.: 3,426 (1606-1819) All-Time Road Game No.: 1,708 (724-983) UPCOMING PROBABLE PITCHERS & BROADCAST SCHEDULE Upcoming Games Time (ET) Probable Starting Pitchers (Rays vs. Opp.) TV & Radio Sun., 4/28 at BOS 1:05 p.m. RH Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 1.53) vs. LH Chris Sale (0-4, 7.43) FOX Sports Sun, WDAE 95.3 FM/620 AM, WLCC 760 AM (Sp.) LET’S PLAY TWO—Last night’s game against the Red Sox was postponed fewer in 13 games and 1 run or fewer in 9 games, both the most in and rescheduled for Saturday, June 8, as the second game of a day-night the majors…the Rays have gone 13-2 (.867) when yielding 3 runs or doubleheader following the regularly scheduled game at 1:05 p.m. …it will fewer and 3-7 (.300) when yielding 4 runs or more. be the eighth doubleheader in franchise history at Fenway Park, their most at any venue, and first since May 1, 2014…the Rays are 1-3-3 in the CLOSE SHAVES—The Rays have held a lead in 23 of their 25 games this previous seven at Fenway and 4-12-11 all-time in doubleheaders. season…the only games they never led were April 3 vs. COL (1-0 loss in 11 innings) and April 20 vs. BOS (6-5 loss)…in their 9 losses, the Rays have RAY MATTER—The Rays are coming off a 4-5 homestand against the Ori- allowed the go-ahead run in the 8th inning or later five times and the oles (2-1), Red Sox (0-3) and Royals (2-1), the same teams they play on this 9th inning or later four times…seven of the 9 losses have come by 2 runs 9-game, 11-day road trip…they have lost five of their last 7 games on the or fewer, and the Rays are 0-3 in extra-inning games, 0-4 in 1-run games heels of an 8-1 stretch and 14-4 start to the season…this is the third time and 4-7 in games decided by 2 runs or fewer, including 1-7 in their last 8 in franchise history the Rays have started 16-9 or better through the first games of this type…in their 16 wins, the club’s avg. margin of victory is 25 games, following 2010 (18-7) and 2012 (17-8)…the Rays hold the best 3.88 runs; in their 9 losses, the avg. margin of defeat is 2.44 runs. winning pct. (.640) in the majors, ahead of the Mariners (.621), and the 2nd-best run differential (+40) in the majors behind the Mariners (+41). LASER SHOW—According to StatCast, the Rays have reached an exit Ê The Rays are 1.5 games ahead of the Yankees for first place in the velocity of at least 100 mph on 187 balls in play, 2nd-most in the majors AL East…they have been alone in first place in the division since behind the Yankees (190)…their avg. exit velocity is 90.3 mph, 2nd in the the end of play on March 31, a current stretch of 27 straight days. majors behind the Yankees (90.6 mph), compared to 87.0 mph last sea- Ê The Rays are 7-1-0 in series play this season, with the only series son which was 26th in the majors…Tommy Pham has reached an exit loss coming last weekend against the Red Sox (0-3)…they are 6-2 in velocity of at least 100 mph on 30 balls in play, tied for 5th in the majors… series openers and 3-0 in series openers on the road…the Rays are Avisaíl García has done it 23 times and Yandy Díaz has done it 21 times. 16-2-2 in their last 20 series and 19-3-2 in their last 24 series. Ê The Rays are tied for 8th in the AL with 33 HR, which they didn’t Ê The Rays are 7-2 (.778) on the road, best winning pct. in the majors reach last season until their 36th game…they have homered in and the 2nd-best 9-game start in club history behind 2010 (8-1). nine of their last 10 games and totaled 14 HR over that stretch. Ê The Rays rank 4th in the AL with 88 XBH and are tied with the TURN THE PAGE—In their homestand finale on Wed vs. KC, the Rays al- Rockies for 2nd in the majors with 10 3B behind the Royals (12). lowed double-digit runs for the first time this season in a 10-2 loss…it was Ê The Rays are tied for 5th in the majors with 19 SB, but have been their largest margin of defeat since Sep 27, 2018 vs. NYY (12-1) and only caught six times in their last 11 attempts after a 14-for-14 start. the second time since the start of last August the Rays lost by 8 runs (or more)…it was also their first loss to the Royals since Aug 29, 2017 at Kauff- FRAME WORTHY—The Rays have outscored their opponents, 25-4, in man Stadium, snapping a 10-game winning streak against them…it was the 1st inning this season…their +21 run differential in the 1st is the larg- the 3rd-longest winning streak in club history against a single opponent. est for a team in any inning, ahead of the Dodgers in the 3rd (+19)…they have scored in the 1st inning in 15 of 25 games this season, 12 of their last RAYS vs. RED SOX—Today the Rays begin a 2-game series at Fenway 18 games, and seven of their 9 games on the road…the 25 runs scored in Park, a week after being swept by the Red Sox at Tropicana Field…the the 1st inning are most in the majors, ahead of the Rangers (22), and the Rays are 8-14 against the Red Sox since the start of last season, including 4 runs allowed in the 1st are the fewest in the majors…they are batting 3-6 on the road…they have lost three straight season series against them .346/.411/.626 (37-for-107) with 7 2B, 1 3B and 7 HR in the 1st inning…last for the first time since 2005-07…last weekend the Rays lost 6-4, 6-5 and year, they finished the season with 15 HR in the 1st, fewest in the AL. 4-3 in 11 innings, and all 3 games were tied at some point in the 8th inning or later…the Rays swept the Red Sox last Aug 24-26 and were the only WEB GEMS—The Rays have made 8 errors this season, 3rd-fewest in the team to sweep the eventual World Series champions last season. majors behind the Brewers (6) and Royals (7)…according to FanGraphs, the Rays rank 3rd in the AL with 13 Defensive Runs Saved, trailing the GOLD DIGGERS—Since becoming the Rays in 2008, the Rays have gone Blue Jays (23) and Astros (17)…the Rays have allowed only two unearned 42-40 (.512) in games against the defending World Champions (i.e., the run, fewest in the majors; in comparison, Rays opponents have made 17 year after winning it all)…the 19 games against the Red Sox mark the errors (none in the last 5 games) and allowed eight unearned runs. ninth time that the club has faced the defending World Champions since Ê The Rays lead the majors in StatCast’s “Outs Above Average” (7) 2008, and the Rays have won the season series in six of the eight previ- and Kevin Kiermaier is tied among all players with 4 OAA. ous matchups…they went 4-3 against the Astros in 2018, 2-2 against the Cubs in 2017, 2-5 against the Royals in 2016, 10-9 against the Red Sox in STAY THIRSTY, MY FRIENDS—The Rays have played 477 games since 2014, 2-1 against the Giants in 2013, 10-8 against the Yankees in 2010, 2-1 their last complete game, pitched by Matt Andriese on May 14, 2016 vs. against the Phillies in 2009 and 10-8 against the Red Sox in 2008. OAK, a 2-hit shutout in his 10th career start…this is three shy of tying the Marlins from June 4, 2014–June 2, 2017 for the longest drought in major PITCHING PROPERLY—The Rays lead the league history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau…since then: majors with a 3.07 ERA (229-IP, 78-ER), TEAM PITCHING LEADERS, Ê the longest outing for a Rays starting pitcher is 8 IP (eight times); rank 2nd with 249 SO and rank 3rd with MAJORS, 2019 Ê a Rays starter has pitched into the 9th inning only once a .220 opp avg., behind the Astros (.207) Overall ERA Ê the Rays have used 25 different starting pitchers; and Blue Jays (.218)…this is the highest Tampa Bay Rays 3.07 Ê the Rays have had 10 CG thrown against them; their team ERA has been since it was 3.50 Cincinnati Reds 3.15 Ê the Indians have recorded a majors-most 16 CG, while 38 pitchers through the second game of the season… San Francisco Giants 3.35 have thrown at least 2 CG, led by CLE Corey Kluber (9) the Rays have held the AL’s best ERA ev- ery day since the end of play on April 2, Starter ERA WANDER WATCH—SS Wander Franco, 18, is batting .329/.412/.600 (23- and the majors’ best ERA for 22 of the last Tampa Bay Rays 2.14 for-70) in 19 games for Class-A Bowling Green…he has increased his sea- 25 days…in addition to ranking 2nd in the Pittsburgh Pirates 3.01 son avg.