The Tampa Bay Rays extended Major League Baseball’s best start in 20 years behind Jeffrey Springs’ seven innings of three-hit ball and Randy Arozarena’s four RBIs, routing the Oakland Athletics 11-0 Saturday for an 8-0 record.
Tampa Bay is the first big league team to open 8-0 since the 2003 Kansas City Royals won their first nine games. The Rays have outscored opponents 64-18 and are the first team to win its first eight games by four or more runs since the 1884 St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association did it in their first 13.
‘When you´re winning games like this, a lot of things got to be going well,’ Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. ‘So, I think we´re all pretty impressed with every facet out there.’
No team had won eight straight games by that margin at any point in a season since the 1939 Yankees did it 10 times in a row.
Isaac Paredes and Brandon Lowe had three RBIs each for the Rays.
Rays’ Randy Arozarena acknowledges the crowd from the dugout after a two-run home run
Springs (2-0), coming off six, no-hit innings in his season debut against Detroit, gave up a leadoff single in the first to Esteury Ruiz. He struck out seven, raising his total to 19 in 13 innings.
‘Early on kind of fought mechanics,’ Springs said, ‘It was a grind. Overall, I felt alright, not great, but it helps a lot when my offense is doing what they’re doing,’
Shintaro Fujinami (0-2) allowed five runs, three hits, four walks and hit a batter over 4 1/3 innings in his second major league start. The right-hander didn’t allow a hit until Wander Franco’s infield single with one out in the fourth.
‘I started off pretty well in the first three innings,’ Fujinami said through a translator. ‘But the fourth inning I walked a guy, and from there it kind of went down.’
Fujinami, who signed as free agent in January after pitching 10 years for Hanshin of Japan’s Central League, allowed eight runs over 2 1/3 innings in a 13-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels in his big league debut on April 1. His next start could be at home against the Mets’ Kodai Senga.
‘It’s sort of the same storyline from his first start,’ Oakalnd manager Mark Kotsay said. ‘Again, it’s the ability to control the strike zone and throw strikes and challenge hitters. He only gave up three hits, but when you give up five free passes it’s generally not going to go well especially against good quality teams.’
Oakland, which had just three hits, has lost six of eight and is batting .209. The team ERA is 7.00.
Tampa Bay scored three times in the fifth to go up 5-0 on three hit batters, two walks and a single. Arozarena ended Fujinami’s day on a two-run single, and Paredes picked up an RBI when hit by a pitch from Sam Noll.
Arozarena had a two-run homer in the ninth off Carlos Pérez, usually a catcher.
Manuel Margot had a solo homer and Lowe added a three-run drive in the sixth off Domingo Acevedo.
Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Kevin Kelly, right, is congratulated by catcher Francisco Mejia
METS 5, MARLINS 2
Ghosts were everywhere at Citi Field on Saturday.
Above the outfield fence. On the giant scoreboard. Stitched into Kodai Senga’s glove. And the Miami Marlins looked a little mystified at the plate once again.
Senga won his fantastic home debut and the New York Mets got long balls from Pete Alonso and slumping Eduardo Escobar in a 5-2 victory over Miami.
With fans hanging ghost signs on a railing in left-center to mark Senga’s strikeouts, and ghost-fork animations popping up on the ballpark’s new videoboard, the Japanese rookie with the disappearing ‘ghost forkball’ fired six innings of three-hit ball. The only run he allowed came on a leadoff homer by Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the sixth.
‘Felt pretty normal going into it,’ Senga said through a translator. ‘Obviously, very grateful and I feel very warmed and welcomed. Hopefully next time I can put up more ghosts.’
New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga delivers against the Miami Marlins in the first inning
RED SOX 14, TIGERS 5
Rafael Devers homered twice, including his fifth career grand slam, and drove in five runs.
Devers´ grand slam capped a six-run, second inning. Adam Duvall hit a two-run homer, doubled twice and scored three runs for Boston, which has scored nine or more runs in half its eight games. Raimel Tapia had a pinch two-run homer. Connor Wong and Rob Refsnyder also drove in two runs each.
Tanner Houck (2-0) gave up two runs and three hits in five innings. Joey Wentz (0-2) walked four in the second inning, including Connor Wong and Rob Refsnyder with the bases loaded.
Boston Red Sox’s Raimel Tapia looks skyward as he approaches home plate after a two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, April 8, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
PHILLIES 3, REDS 2
Bryon Stott capped a three-run rally in the ninth inning with a winning single as the Phillies won despite striking out 17 times.
Nick Lodolo struck out a career-high 12 and tossed three-hit ball over seven shutout innings, leaving with a lead provided by Spencer Steer’s first-inning homer against Bailey Falter. Jake Fraley built a 2-0 margin with a sacrifice fly in the ninth off Andrew Vasquez (1-0).
Brandon Marsh’s RBI single off Alexis Díaz (0-1) and Edmundo Sosa’s sacrifice fly against Ian Giabut tied the score.
Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber, right, douses Bryson Stott, after a game against the Cincinnati Reds
CUBS 10, RANGERS 3
Justin Steele (1-0) allowed one run and four hits in six innings as Chicago won its third straight.
Patrick Wisdom homered and Trey Mancini had three of Chicago´s 14 hits. Dansby Swanson had two hits and is batting .429 (12 for 28) in his first seven games with the Cubs after signing a $177 million, seven-year contract.
Texas committed five errors in its fourth loss in five games, and a balk by Martín Pérez (1-1) set up Chicago´s first run. Pérez (1-1) gave up three runs, two earned, and five hits in five innings.
Cubs starter Justin Steele throws during the first inning game against the Texas Rangers
ROYALS 6, GIANTS 5
Salvador Pérez hit a tying, three-run homer in the eighth inning and pinch-runner Nate Eaton scored on a wild pitch in the ninth by Camilo Doval (0-1) after Vinnie Pasquantino doubled and advanced on Hunter Dozier’s groundout.
Taylor Clarke (1-0) struck out the side in the eighth and Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his first save with the Royals.
Kansas City is 2-2 under bench coach Paul Hoover, the interim manager, while Matt Quatraro has been away with COVID-19.
Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. gestures as he runs out his solo home run against the Giants
TWINS 9, ASTROS 6
Byron Buxton and Kyle Farmer hit three-run homers, and Christian Vázquez had two RBI singles, one a tiebreaking hit off Seth Martinez (1-1) in the sixth.
Joe Ryan (2-0) recovered from Yordan Alvarez´s grand slam to win his second straight start, giving up four runs and three hits in six innings with 10 strikeouts. Jhoan Duran struck out Yainer Diaz with two on for his second save.
Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan throws during the first inning e against the Houston Astros
MARINERS 3, GUARDIANS 2
Eugenio Suárez hit RBI singles in the first and second innings off Cal Quantrill (0-1), who entered 14-0 in 34 regular-season starts at Progressive Field. Quantrill had not lost a home start since Sept. 9, 2019, with San Diego.
Marco Gonzales (1-0) allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings, and Seattle won its sixth straight at Cleveland. Paul Sewald put two on in the ninth before getting his second save in two days.
Jarred Kelenic also had an RBI single in the first.
Seattle Mariners 3B Eugenio Suarez and CF Julio Rodriguez (44) celebrate the team’s 3-2 win
YANKEES 4, ORIOLES 1
Giancarlo Stanton hit a 436-foot, 116.3 mph homer to cap New York´s three-run fifth inning, his 26th homer of at least 116 mph since 2015, when Statcast began tracking. Teammate Aaron Judge, with 15, is the only other player with more than six.
Anthony Volpe tripled for his first big league extra-base hit, Jhony Brito (2-0) allowed a run in five innings in his second career start and slumping Aaron Hicks delivered a crucial RBI single.
Cole Irvin (0-2) walked four batters in 4 2/3 innings in his first home start since the Orioles acquired him in an offseason trade with Oakland.
Orioles’ Adley Rutschmann reaches for NY’s DJ LeMahieu as he slides safely across the plate
CARDINALS 6, BREWERS 0
Nolan Arenado hit his 300th homer and 20-year-old Jordan Walker hit the second of his young career as St. Louis mounted a pair of two-run drives in the third inning off Eric Lauer (1-1). The Cardinals ended a four-game skid and stopped the Milwaukee´s six-game winning streak.
Jordan Montgomery (2-0) struck out nine and allowed three hits and two walks in seven innings.
Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado reacts after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning
WHITE SOX 11, PIRATES 5
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Yasmani Grandal, Luis Robert Jr., Oscar Colás had two hits and drove in two runs each.
Tim Anderson, Andrew Benintendi and Andrew Vaughn also had two hits each for Chicago, which had 14 hits, and lvis Andrus also drove in two runs.
Mike Clevinger (2-0) gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Vince Velasquez (0-2) allowed five runs, six hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Chicago White Sox’s Yasmani Grandal singles off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Vince Velasquez,
PADRES 4, BRAVES 1
ATLANTA (AP) – Michael Wacha (2-0) matched his career high with 10 strikeouts, his first double-digit game since June 2015. He allowed two hits over six innings – both by Matt Olson.
,Juan Soto homered in the third off Charlie Morton (1-1), who gave up three runs, two earned, six hits and three walks in five innings.
San Diego closer Josh Hader struck out Orlando Arcia with two on for his third save. Hader finished a five-hitter with the 15th strikeout by Padres pitchers.
Padres starting Michael Wacha delivers in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves
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