ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There will be a time, as there is in every season, when the Rays bats go cold, their pitchers can’t throw strikes and their defense lets them down.
But they’ve been doing just about everything right for close to two weeks now, and as the good times keep rolling the wins keep piling up.
Tuesday’s 7-2 victory over the Red Sox was the Rays’ 11th straight to open the season, extending their franchise record and majors-best start, and matching the 1981 A’s for the second-longest such streak of the modern era (since 1901).
Only the 1987 Brewers and 1982 Braves have won more, sharing the record at 13. (The 1884 St. Louis Maroons have the all-time record at 20 straight wins to open a season.)
The only negative was first baseman Yandy Diaz leaving the game with an apparent left arm issue after making a diving stop in the eighth inning.
The Rays on Tuesday did much as they had in sweeping the Tigers, Nationals and A’s, winning the first two of the four-game series against Boston. (They also extended their home winning streak against the Red Sox to 11 games.)
They hit well.
Two-out hits by Wander Franco (in the first) and Vidal Brujan (in the second) gave them an early lead. Then they added on with four homers, extending their majors-leading total to 29. Isaac Paredes’ blast in the fourth was followed by back-to-back homers by Diaz and Brandon Lowe in the fifth), and Josh Lowe’s in the seventh. Brandon Lowe matched his career high by homering in a fourth straight game.
They pitched well.
Shane McClanahan didn’t allow a hit until one out in the fifth, and only two while working into the sixth, striking out nine, although walking four. The bullpen took it from there.
When the Red Sox scored on a double-play ground out in the sixth, it snapped the now-franchise-record scoreless-inning streak by Rays pitchers at 32 innings.
They played good defense.
Leftfielder Randy Arozarena made the best play, a running catch just in front of the wall. Fans near the area from the announced crowd of 12,649 started chanting his name, and he responded at the next break by cheering them, then doing his arms-crossed pose.
