THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 vs. BOSTON RED SOX RH Jake Odorizzi (2-1, 1.74) vs. RH Clay Buchholz (1-2, 6.06) First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. | Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. | TV: Sun Sports | Radio: WDAE 620 AM, WGES 680 (Spanish) Game No.: 16 (7-8) | Home Game No.: 9 (2-6) | All-Time Game No.: 2,768 (1,279-1,488) | All-Time Home Game No.: 1,384 (704-679) D.L. REACHES 12—Today the Rays placed LH C.J. Riefenhauser (left STEVE GELTZ—Earned his first career save last night, after recording his shoulder inflammation) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to April 19…OF Mikie first career win and game started earlier in the year…he is the only pitcher Mahtook has been recalled to take his place on the roster…Riefenhauser in the majors with at least one save and one game started…four different is the 12th player currently on the DL, extending the club record for most at Rays pitchers have recorded a save this year (also Brad Boxberger, Er- one time (prev. 10 in parts of May 2012 and several occasions in 1998-99)… nesto Frieri, Kevin Jepsen), tied with the Rockies for most in the majors. the Rays began the year with six players on the DL, have added six since then and none have been reinstated yet…for a complete listing see Page 6. ABOUT THE ROSTER—The Rays 25-man roster includes: Ê OF Steven Souza Jr. exited last night’s game in the 6th inning with Ê 8 rookies (Andriese, Beckham, Dominguez, Dykstra, Geltz, Karns, a right forearm cramp…he is day-to-day. Mahtook, Souza Jr.) Ê Tonight 1B James Loney (mild right oblique strain) is playing a rehab Ê 12 players who are making or have made their Rays debut in 2015 game for Class-A Charlotte vs. Palm Beach (Cardinals). Ê 11 pitchers (who have a combined 83 major league wins) Ê LH Drew Smyly (left shoulder tendonitis) will be activated to start Ê 15 players acquired by trade tomorrow night’s game vs. TOR, making his season debut…a cor- Ê 14 players with less than 2 years of MLB service time responding roster move will be made to make room on the roster. Ê 5 players who were not on the 40-man roster during spring training Ê OF David DeJesus (35) is the oldest member of the active roster by SCORING CHANGE—Major League Baseball made a scoring change from more than 3 years—C Bobby Wilson (32) is next…after RH Grant the April 15 game at TOR…the 4th-inning error by SS Asdrubal Cabrera Balfour was designated for assignment this weekend, the oldest was changed to a hit for Josh Donaldson, against RH Erasmo Ramirez… member of the pitching staff is RH Brandon Gomes (30). Ramirez is also charged with an additional earned run…with the scoring change, Cabrera is errorless in 48 chances this year. RAMPANT ROOKIES—Tonight is the seventh game out of 15 this season Ê Thanks to this change, the Rays now lead the majors with a .993 in which the Rays have used a rookie starting pitcher…the Rays have used fielding pct., with just 4 errors in 553 chances…since 2011, the Rays 10 different rookies this year…four players have made their major league lead the AL with a .986 fielding pct. debut this season (RH Matt Andriese, INF Ryan Brett, 1B Allan Dykstra, OF Mikie Mahtook)—matching the club’s total for all of 2014 (the club re- FIRST PITCHES—Tonight Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Bucs LB La- cord is six, in 2008 and 2001)…the Rays currently have eight rookies on the vonte David will deliver ceremonial first pitches…tomorrow, Ajax, the St. active roster, and had a club-record nine before INF Ryan Brett was placed Petersburg police dog who was bitten by a rattlesnake while pursuing a on the DL yesterday. suspect in March, will “run out” the ceremonial first pitch at tomorrow’s night Ê RH Nathan Karns leads major league rookies with 23.2 IP and 20 SO. game…he will be accompanied by his handler, OfficerJoseph Lehmann. Ê Rookies have hit 8 of the club’s 15 HR (Steven Souza Jr.-4, Tim Beckham-2, Allan Dykstra-1, Mikie Mahtook-1) and 8 of the 16 hit RAY MATTER—Last night the Rays overcame a 5-1 deficit to beat Boston, by AL rookies…their 8 HR have tied the club record for April, a mark 7-5, ending a season-high 4-game losing streak…it was their largest come- they also reached in 1998 (Rich Butler-3, Bobby Smith-3, Miguel back win since May 24, 2014 vs. BOS, when they fell behind 5-0 in the 1st Cairo-1, Bubba Trammell-1)…prior to this month, the Rays hadn’t and won 6-5 in 15 innings…their 7 runs equaled their total runs scored dur- had a home run by a rookie in April since Reid Brignac on Aprli 27, ing the 4-game skid…Desmond Jennings’ single to load the bases in the 2010 vs. OAK. 6th inning ended a team 0-for-17 skid with RISP. Ê The Rays are 4-5 so far in a stretch of 22 straight games against AL MORE ON SOUZA—OF Steven Souza Jr. leads the club with 4 HR and 11 East competition, going through May 6. RBI…his 4 HR are a club record for a rookie in April…among major league Ê The Rays bullpen has not allowed a run in its last 10.1 IP, with only rookies, he ranks T-1st in home runs with TOR Devon Travis, 2nd in RBI 4 hits allowed in that span…NYY Chase Headley’s RBI double on (11) and 1st with 4 SB…in major league history, only five other rookies have Sunday off Steve Geltz was their last run allowed. matched Souza Jr.’s totals in HR, RBI and SB by the end of April: OAK Yoenis Cespedes (2012), BOS Nomar Garciaparra (1997), CAL Devon DOME WOES—Last night the Rays improved to 2-6 (.250) at home, the 5th White (1987), OAK Mitchell Page (1977) and SF Dave Kingman (1972)… worst record in the majors…meanwhile, their 5-2 (.714) road record is 2nd no other player, regardless of rookie status, in the majors can match his best in the majors behind Detroit (5-1)…dating back to last June 2, the Rays combination of homers and steals…he turns 26 years old tomorrow. are 26-37 (.413) at home—4th worst in the majors ahead of Texas (22-39, .361)—while their 35-22 (.614) record on the road is 2nd best in the majors STRONG LEADERSHIP—A glance at the AL leaderboards: to Kansas City (38-20, .655). Ê RH Chris Archer ranks 5th with a 1.07 ERA, 4th with 25.1 IP, 2nd with 30 SO (one shy of leader CLE Corey Kluber). JAKE ELMORE: A CORRECTION—Last night homered in his first at-bat Ê RH Jake Odorizzi ranks T-7th with a 1.74 ERA and 2nd with a .129 for the Rays…upon further review, he was the 13th player in club history opp avg. …RH Brad Boxberger is T-3rd with 4 saves. to hit a home run in his first at-bat for the Rays…the list on Page 99 of the Ê OF Desmond Jennings is T-1st with 5 SB, after stealing only 4 bas- Rays Media Guide had omitted Dan Johnson (Sep 9, 2008 at BOS—a es in his final 78 games in 2014 (May 25–season’s end). game-tying, pinch-hit homer off Jonathan Papelbon in a critical 5-4 victory) Ê OF Kevin Kiermaier is T-2nd with 5 doubles and T-7th with 8 XBH. and Bubba Trammell (April 3, 1998 vs. CWS)…the last player to do so was Ryan Roberts, July 25, 2012 at BAL…Elmore is the 8th to homer in his first THAT’S A FIRST—Several notable “firsts” have taken place in the season’s plate appearance with the Rays. first two weeks: First career win Manager Kevin Cash April 8 vs. BAL A RAYS SPECIALTY—Last night the Rays batted around in a 4-run 6th First career HR Tim Beckham April 11 at MIA inning that included a bases-loaded walk by Logan Forsythe, the major- First career hit Allan Dykstra April 13 at TOR league-leading 7th for the Rays this season…Boston and Detroit rank 2nd First career win Steve Geltz April 14 at TOR with 3…since 2008, the Rays have drawn 111 bases-loaded walks—22 First career HR Mikie Mahtook April 15 at TOR more than any other team (Yankees, 89)…three of those 7 bases-loaded First career HR Allan Dykstra April 17 vs. NYY walks have been drawn by Forsythe, who had never drawn one in 84 career First career save Steve Geltz April 22 vs. BOS walks entering 2015…in 2014 the ML leader was PIT Russell Martin with 4. 0-FOR-9—Last night Rays Manager Kevin Cash issued a challenge in the RAYS vs. RED SOX—The Rays look to win the rubber match tonight, the 8th inning, asking umpires to review both a call at 1B and the call at 3B, third of 19 games between these clubs this year…since becoming the Rays both ends of the same play…the calls were both confirmed…MLB clarified in 2008, they’ve lost only one season series to Boston (7-12 in 2013) as today that this counted as one manager’s challenge…the Rays are now they’ve compiled a 69-61 record during that span…they went 58-112 (.341) 0-for-9 in instant replay challenges this year…they also lost Joe Maddon’s prior to that…the Rays went 10-9 vs.