Tampa Bay Rays News and Links: BASEBALL IS BACK

This Date in Team History, of Which They are 4-5 All-Time

• 2000 - Despite carrying a 5-3 lead into bottom of the eighth inning against Minnesota, the Rays would be walkoff losers as ALbie Lopez allowed a run in the eighth, and then Roberto Hernandez suffered the loss the following inning as an error, a double, and a single doomed the Rays to a 6-5 loss.
• 2001 - A story filled game occurred at the Trop against the Blue Jay. In the third inning, with the Rays trailing 3-2, Vinny Castilla mashed the first pitch he seen for the longest home run in Tropicana Field history, sending a ball into the Beach -- Tampa Bay Party Deck -- section, giving the Rays a 5-3 lead. However, the Blue Jays weren't deterred as Carlos Delgado would hit three home runs of his own -- astonishingly, he would one up this later in his career. The Rays would eventually suffer a late inning loss, 11-8.

• 2002 - Behind Ryan Rupe's excellent start, in which he went seven scoreless innings, the Rays cruised to a 9-2 victory over Detroit. The victory capped off a sweep of the Tigers, giving the Rays a 3-0 start to the season in which their success could surely be sustained...or not. They'd go 52-105 following this victory.

• 2005 - The Rays sign former four-time Gold Glove winner and two time all-star, Charles Johnson, whom the Red Sox had acquired and subsequently released just a few days prior. During his brief tenure with the Rays, Johnson slashed .196/.327/.283 over 19 games until he was released in mid-June.