TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2017 vs. BOSTON RED SOX RH Austin Pruitt (6-2, 5.65) vs. LH Chris Sale (13-4, 2.707 First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. | Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. | TV: Fox Sports Sun | Radio: WDAE 620 AM, WGES 680 AM (Sp.) Game No.: 114 (58-55) | Home Game No.: 56 (30-25) | All-Time Game No.: 3,190 (1,478-1,711) | All-Time Home Game No.: 1,596 (810-785) April: 12-14 | May: 17-13 | June: 13-13 | July: 12-13 | August: 4-2 | Pre-All-Star: 47-43 | Post-All-Star: 11-12 ROSTER MOVE—The Rays have placed RH Alex Cobb (turf toe on right are 20 active relief pitchers with at least 250 career apps and a sub-2.90 big toe) on the 10-day DL, retroactive to Sunday, and recalled LH Blake ERA, and the Rays acquired three of them leading up to the July 31 trade Snell from Triple-A Durham…Snell is expected to start in his place on deadline in RH Steve Cishek (July 28), LH Dan Jennings (July 27) and RH Thursday vs. CLE…the Rays will also make a roster move to make room Sergio Romo (July 23)…those three arrived with a combined 24 seasons for RH Jake Odorizzi’s activation from the DL tomorrow. in the majors, 1,233 games, 206 saves, a 67-67 record, 2.81 ERA (1,123-IP, 351-ER) and 3 World Series rings. TUESDAY’S CHAMPION—Before every Tuesday home game at Tropicana Ê Over the team’s last 6 wins, the Rays bullpen has totaled 20.2 score- Field, the Rays host a child from the Make-A-Wish Foundation or Children’s less innings (9-H, 6-BB, 15-SO). Dream Fund as a part of the “Tuesday’s Champion” program…today, the Ê RH Steve Cishek has thrown 5.2 scoreless innings (1-H, 1-BB, 7-SO) Rays welcome 7-year-old Caleb Andersen from Make-A-Wish…as part of since being acquired from Seattle on July 28…RH Tommy Hunter his special day, Caleb will meet Rays players and coaches and throw a has not allowed a run in 18 of his last 19 apps (since June 21). ceremonial first pitch. Ê RH Alex Colomé leads the AL with 33 saves, one shy of COL Greg Holland for the major league lead…Colome’s next save will be the MOMENT OF SILENCE—The Rays will hold a moment of silence prior to 71st of his career, tying RH Danys Báez for 3rd place on the Rays tonight’s game in memory of Lee May, Darren Daulton and Don Baylor. all-time list behind RH Roberto Hernández (101) and RH Fernando Rodney (85). HAPPY BIRTHDAY—To Fox Sports Sun play-by-play man Dewayne Staats and Rays Principal Owner Stuart Sternberg. POWER PLAY—The Rays rank 4th in the AL with 160 HR, trailing the As- tros (182), Rangers (171) and Orioles (161)…they are on pace for a club- RAY MATTER—The Rays avoided a 3-game sweep by the Brewers on record 229 HR (216 in 2016)…their 160 HR are a club record through 113 Sunday with RF Steven Souza Jr.’s walk-off home run in the 9th off St. games (prev. 146 in 2016) and their 507 runs are their most since 2013 Pete native RH Jacob Barnes…Souza hit the first walk-off homer by a Ray (514)…the Rays lead the majors with a club-record 12 back-to-back home in more than three years, since Sean Rodríguez on May 22, 2014 vs. OAK, runs, ahead of the Royals and Nationals (9)…there are 56 players in base- a drought nearly two years longer than any other team in baseball…the ball who have hit at least 20 HR this season, and the Rays are the only closest was the Phillies, whose last walk-off came on April 19, 2016 vs. CLE team with four of them on their roster (Logan Morrison, Steven Souza Jr., (Ryan Howard)…in between walk-off homers, the Rays played 277 home Corey Dickerson, Lucas Duda). games, won 14 of those games in some other walk-off fashion, hit 289 HR at Tropicana Field and allowed 13 walk-off homers on the road. SOUZA-PALOOZA—RF Steven Souza Jr. recorded his first career walk- Ê The Rays are hitless in their last 22 AB with RISP, the last hit coming off hit on Sunday, and extended career highs with his 24th home run and on Thu at HOU (Steven Souza Jr. 2-run double in 7th)…they went team-leading 69th RBI…has 7 HR in 21 games (20 starts) since the All-Star 0-for-18 with RISP in the 3-game weekend series vs. MIL, and were break…all 24 of his home runs have come vs. RHP, which according to the shut out (2-0, 3-0) on Friday and Saturday. Elias Sports Bureau makes him the first right-handed batter to hit his first Ê The Rays were off yesterday, after a stretch of playing 17 games in 23 HR of a season off RHP since HOU Lee May (1972), the former Rays 17 days (7-10)…tonight’s game continues a stretch of 30 games in 31 first base coach (2001-02) who just passed away on July 29…no RH hitter days through Aug 20. since data is available (1913) has finished a season with at least 24 HR, all Ê The Rays are 15-6-4 over their last 25 series, since May 12-14 at BOS. coming off a RHP; NYM Jeff Kent holds the record with 21 in 1993…Souza Ê The Rays have outscored opponents 334-256 (+78) in innings 1-thru- has also established career highs with 18 2B, 57 BB and 62 runs scored. 5, but have been outscored 247-172 after that (-75). LUCAS DUDA—Has a 10-game on-base streak since joining the Rays, the PROPER PITCHING—Rays starting pitchers lead the AL with a 4.02 ERA, longest streak to begin a Rays career since Jorge Velandia (10) in Sep- ahead of Houston (4.07)…their 649.1 IP rank 2nd in the AL to Boston…this tember 2007…only two players have compiled longer on-base streaks to weekend (RH Jake Faria, RH Alex Cobb, RH Chris Archer) marked the begin their Rays careers: INF Aki Iwamura (12) in April 2007, and current first time Rays starters had made 3 consecutive starts of 6 IP (or more) and Rays first base coach OFRocco Baldelli (24) to start his career in 2003… 1 run (or fewer) since Sep 29–Oct 1, 2015 vs. MIA (LH Matt Moore, LH Duda is batting .323/.463/.677 (10-for-31) for the Rays with 2 2B, 3 HR, 4 Drew Smyly, RH Jake Odorizzi)…last time they compiled a longer such RBI, 7 BB and 7 runs scored. streak was Aug 9-13, 2014 at CHC/TEX (5 games). PICKED CLEAN—According to FanGraphs, the Rays lead the American WHERE THEY STAND—The Rays A.L. EAST STANDINGS League with 37 Defensive Runs Saved, ahead of Boston (28), and rank 2nd have moved into a virtual tie with Kan- Boston 63-49 .563 -- in the majors behind the Reds (39). sas City for the second AL Wild Card New York 59-51 .536 -3.0 position…they are 2.5 GB of New York Tampa Bay 58-55 .513 -5.5 BEST TOOLS—Yesterday Baseball America released its 2017 Best Tools for the first Wild Card spot, and 5.5 GB Baltimore 56-56 .500 -7.0 survey of major league managers, coaches, scouts and executives…sev- of first-place Boston in the AL East… Toronto 52-59 .468 -10.5 eral Rays were chosen among the AL’s best in the following categories: they are one of five teams separated A.L. WILD CARD STANDINGS Ê Best Slider: RH Chris Archer (No. 2 behind LH Chris Sale) Ê by only 4 games vying for the two Wild New York 59-51 .536 +2.5 Best Pickoff Move: RH Alex Cobb (No. 1) Card spots…this is the Rays best record Kansas City 57-54 .514 -- Ê Best Defensive 1B: Logan Morrison (No. 3 behind KC Eric Hosmer through 113 games since 2013 (66- Tampa Bay 58-55 .513 -- and BOS Mitch Moreland) 47)…it is a 12-win improvement over Seattle 57-56 .504 -1.0 Ê Best Defensive 3B: Evan Longoria (No. 3 behind BAL Manny Mach- 2016, when they were 21 games under Baltimore 56-56 .500 -1.5 ado and TEX Adrian Beltre) .500 (46-67) and 18.0 GB in the AL East. Ê Best Defensive OF: Kevin Kiermaier (No. 1) Ê Best Outfield Arm:Kevin Kiermaier (No. 2 behind NYY Aaron Hicks) GUT CHECK—This series continues the Rays stretch of 17 straight games Ê Best Manager: Kevin Cash (No. 3 behind CLE Terry Francona and vs. five different opponents contending for playoff spots, and they are 5-6 NYY Joe Girardi) thus far (1-3 at NYY, 3-1 at HOU, 1-2 vs. MIL, 2 games vs. BOS, 4 games vs. CLE)…these five opponents include the four best teams (by winning NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT—Tomorrow’s game will be televised nationally pct.) in the AL and all three AL division leaders…the Rays still have games (outside the Tampa Bay market) on ESPN, with Jon Sciambi, Rick Sut- remaining against every team they trail in the AL East and Wild Card race: cliffe and Eduardo Perez calling the action…Fox Sports Sun will air the Boston (8 games), New York (6) and Kansas City (3).