Rays: 5, Tigers: 1 - Springs’ Stellar in Rays’ Sweep

What a way to start the day. Rays’ legend Don Zimmer is the first inductee into the Rays’ hall of fame with a heartfelt ceremony presided by Dwayne Staats.

Also can we talk about how cute Soot Zimmer’s outfit is?

Rays are looking to sweep to open the season for the fourth time in team history. Here’s out each team lines up.

Let me start out by saying: how can anybody not call this Rays’ rotation elite? Even with a missing Tyler Glasnow, this rotation is a top 5. Anyways, Jeffrey Springs makes his season debut and picked up right where he left off, and showed why the Rays’ invested in him in the offseason.

Through 4 innings, Jeffrey Springs had NINE strikeouts.

In the bottom of the 4th, the Rays got their first run off a Randy Arozarena Solo HR

He also proceeded to do the Randy celebration at the Detroit Dugout

Rays lead 1-0 after four innings.

As much as every pitcher wants to pitch a full nine innings, it’s not going to be possible on the third day of the season. And sure enought, even though Springs was dominating for 6.0 Innings and 0 hits, Kevin Cash still took him out at 81 pitches.

Springs’ final line: 6.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB & 12 Ks!

It did get a little bit scary with pulling Springs with only 1 run lead, but the offense came through in the bottom of the 6th inning.

With 1 out, Wander Franco laced a ground rule double down the right field line. Isaac Parades followed that up with a single, and Wander turned on the JETS to score from 1st base.

Rays lead 2-0

A Randy Arozarena HBP, and a Brandon Lowe walk loaded the bases with only 1 out, and brought Josh Lowe up.

Josh Lowe struck out looking on a really tough pitch by Tigers’ Jason Foley. Jose Siri was next up with the bases loaded and two outs.

Jose Siri swung at the first pitch, hitting a groundball past Detroit’s defenders to score two more and give the Rays a much more comfortable 4-0 lead.

Colin Poche came to replace Jeffrey Springs, and although gave up the Rays’ first hit, was able to coerce a pop out from Javy Baez, a fly out from Austin Meadows and a groundout from Spencer Torkelson to end the inning.

Ryan Thompson held the Rays lead in the top of the 8th with a clean 1-2-3 inning, including 1 strikeout.

Rays’ next run came in the bottom of the 8th inning, when Brandon Lowe singled and then Josh Lowe doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with only 1 out. A wild pitch by Detroit’s Chase Shreve scored Lowe from 3rd and moved Lowe to 2nd.

5-0 Rays

Top of the 9th was handled by Jalen Beeks, and although gave up a leadoff home run to Jake Rogers, sat down the next 3 Detroit batters to seal the Rays’ sweep!

Rays go on the road to Washington D.C. to face the Nationals for a 3 game set.

Gametime is at 7:05 PM EST with Drew Rasmussen set to start. You know, the guy that almost had a perfect game last year? But the Rays’ rotation isn’t top 10 this year.