Wander Franco had four hits and scored a pair of runs, and Taj Bradley settled down after a rocky start to stay unbeaten at the big-league level, as the Tampa Bay Rays set a modern major league record for consecutive wins at home to begin a season by beginning 14-0 at Tropicana Field following a 8-3 win over the Houston Astros.
Bradley fell behind in the first, with Mauricio Dubon scoring on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Tucker and Alex Bergman hitting a solo home run to give Houston a 2-0 advantage.
But Tampa Bay was able to draw even against Jose Urquidy with Franco singling, stealing second base, and scoring on a triple by Randy Arozarena. Harold Ramirez tied the game with a ground-rule double.
Jeremy Pena gave the Astros the lead back in the third with a solo homer of his own, but Tampa Bay countered by scoring four of its own in the bottom of the inning, with a sacrifice fly from Arozarena, a RBI single by Josh Lowe and a two-run base hit by Christian Bethancourt.
Isaac Paredes added a RBI single in the sixth, and Franco drove in Bethancourt with a base hit in the seventh to set the scoring.
Bradley would get through five innings Monday with the help of his defense, especially an amazing grab by Franco in foul territory, catching Martin Maldonado’s deep pop up with his bare hand.
Wander with a BARE HANDED catch!? ? pic.twitter.com/3m4fUvlxJ2
— Rays Radio (@RaysRadio) April 25, 2023
Kevin Kelly worked two shutout innings of relief, while Garrett Cleavinger and Jalen Beeks each worked a clean frame to end the game.
Tampa Bay’s Major League streak of consecutive games with a home run to begin a season ended at 22 after the Rays were unable to go deep on Monday.
Tuesday will see Drew Rasmussen (3-1, 2.01 ERA) get the start against Luis Garcia (1-2, 5.14 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:40.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
