Harold Ramirez’s three-run double fueled a seven-run fifth inning as the host Tampa Bay Rays tied a modern-era major league record with their 13th straight win to start the season, bashing the Boston Red Sox 9-3 Thursday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The 13 wins tied the record held by the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers and 1982 Atlanta Braves and also set a Rays mark for consecutive wins overall. Tampa Bay has outscored opponents 101-30 through the streak.
Ramirez went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and a run. Brandon Lowe had two hits, including a home run, and Yandy Diaz also went deep for the Rays.
Rays starter Jeffrey Springs was removed after three-plus innings due to ulnar neuritis in his left arm. He struck out five and allowed one run on a homer by Red Sox outfielder Rob Refsnyder. Kevin Kelly (1-0) tossed 2 2/3 innings of one-run relief for his first major league win.
Brewers 4, Padres 3 (10 innings)
Rowdy Tellez hit a two-run homer in the first inning and broke a tie in the top of the 10th with a sacrifice fly to lead Milwaukee to a win in San Diego.
Christian Yelich started the 10th at second as the ghost runner. After Willy Adames drew a leadoff walk from Luis Garcia (0-2), both runners advanced on a double steal. Tellez then hit a deep fly to right. Devin Williams (2-0) earned the win after striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth. Joel Payamps earned his first major league save.
Trent Grisham tied the game with a two-run homer off Matt Bush with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
Orioles 8, Athletics 7
Adley Rutschman homered to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, giving host Baltimore a walk-off victory over Oakland.
Rutschman hit Trevor May’s second pitch over the fence in right-center field for his fourth home run of the season. It was Rutschman’s only hit of the game. Ryan Mountcastle also hit a home run and Ryan O’Hearn drove in three runs in his Orioles debut.
Brent Rooker homered twice and drove in five runs for the Athletics.
Twins 11, Yankees 2
Michael A. Taylor, rookie Edouard Julien and Carlos Correa hit consecutive home runs to cap a nine-run first-inning explosion as Minnesota rolled to a rout of host New York.
The Twins already held a 5-0 lead when Taylor hit his first of two home runs to make it 7-0 and chase Yankees rookie Jhony Brito (2-1). Julien, who had started the inning with his first career hit, greeted reliever Colten Brewer with a blast into the first row of the left field seats. Correa made it 9-0 with a drive to the right-center field seats, his first homer of the season. Minnesota starter Joe Ryan (3-0) allowed one run and three hits while striking out 10 in seven innings.
Anthony Rizzo hit two solo homers to provide the Yankees’ runs. Utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa took the mound in the ninth and threw a scoreless inning for New York.
Reds 6, Phillies 2
Spencer Steer, Tyler Stephenson and Wil Myers had two-out, run-scoring singles in a three-run third inning as Cincinnati beat visiting Philadelphia in the opener of a four-game series.
Nick Lodolo (2-0) worked around trouble in the first two innings, scattered eight hits and allowed two runs over five innings. The Reds snapped a three-game skid and earned just their second win in eight games.
Kyle Schwarber hit his fourth home run of the season for the Phillies, and Bryson Stott extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a two-out bunt single in the ninth that put runners at first and second. Reds manager David Bell then called on Alexis Diaz, who struck out Trea Turner to end the game.
Tigers 3, Blue Jays 1
Zach McKinstry hit a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning and visiting Detroit went on to defeat Toronto.
Jake Rogers also had an RBI double as the Tigers salvaged the final game of the three-game set and ended a six-game losing streak. Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt (1-2) allowed two runs, four hits and three walks while striking out seven in six innings.
Detroit right-hander Spencer Turnbull (1-2) gave up one run, six hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out six.
Pirates 5, Cardinals 0
Vince Velasquez and three relievers combined on a six-hitter as visiting Pittsburgh blanked St. Louis.
Velasquez (1-2) pitched six shutout innings while allowing just three hits and two walks. He struck out six batters. Connor Joe and Rodolfo Castro hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning to pace the Pirates’ offense.
Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (2-1) allowed two runs on six hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two. St. Louis rookie outfielder Jordan Walker saw his 12-game, career-opening hitting streak come to an end.
–Field Level Media