It’s only one win, but for the Rays on opening day before a packed house, it sure felt good.
Rays ace Sugar Shane McClanahan went six innings, giving up four hits, striking out six, and got help from Jose Siri and Wander Franco, who homered, good enough for a 4-0 win over the Detroit Tigers.
Rays Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley came up with RBIs, and Franco added a little breathing room with a solo blast in the eighth inning.
In the news: Rays Open 2023 Season With More New Coaches Than Players
A perfect way to cap off a day celebrating the Rays’ 25th Anniversary. For a team that’s made the playoffs four years in a row, it was a good way to start the season.
Tampa Bay wore throwback Devil Rays jerseys which the team wore during their first ten years.
It was the same opponent, the Tigers, that the Rays faced on the opening day for the franchise on March 31, 1998.
Former Rays pitcher James Shields threw out the ceremonial first pitch, and even though he played for the Royals, padres, and White Sox, Big Game James says he’s retiring as a Tampa Bay Ray.
The Rays played all but one of their spring training games at Tropicana Field since their facility could not be used due to a Hurricane.
But playing in front of an announced sellout of 25,025 fans.
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