Invincible Rays belt 5 homers en path to seventh straight win

PETERSBURG — The Rays continued their all-around dominant begin to the season on Friday evening, slugging 5 homers and enjoying stellar protection in a 9-5 win over the A’s at Tropicana Field.

There are loads of numbers that specify how nicely issues are going for the undefeated Tampa Bay membership, the primary staff within the Majors to win its first seven video games of the season because the Orioles in 2016. For starters, contemplate this one: The lineup has launched 18 homers, the identical variety of whole runs allowed by the pitching workers.

The Rays have outscored their opponents, 53-17, whereas placing collectively their longest profitable streak since a nine-gamer from August 21-31, 2021. Each victory has come by not less than 4 runs, the longest such streak to start a season in MLB historical past because the 1884 St. Louis Maroons.

Harold Ramirez started Friday’s show of energy — Tampa Bay’s first five-homer efficiency since Oct. 2, 2021 — by main off the second inning with a solo shot to proper area towards A’s starter Ken Waldichuk. The Rays didn’t let up after that.

Waldichuk walked three of the following 4 hitters he confronted, with a Jose Siri single blended in for good measure, to permit one other run. After two strikeouts, Isaac Paredes made Waldichuk pay by sending a 355-foot moonshot out to left area for his second profession grand slam. The Rays batted round within the second, already the third time this yr they’ve despatched not less than 9 hitters to the plate in a single inning.

The hits stored coming within the third inning, as Manuel Margot and Christian Bethancourt went deep towards Waldichuk. Margot and Bethancourt turned the ninth and tenth totally different hitters to homer for Tampa Bay this season. Wander Franco obtained in on the motion within the eighth, sending his third homer of the yr out to right-center off right-hander Adam Oller.