ST. PETERSBURG (SNN-TV) – The Tampa Bay Rays entered yesterday’s series opener with the A’s, as the only undefeated team in baseball. Unfortunately, their time on top didn’t last too long.
A’s starter Paul Blackburn allowed three hits in five scoreless innings, Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus both hit three-run homers, and the Oakland A’s handed the Rays their first loss of the season, 13-2 Monday night.
The only bright spot in the blowout, was the performance and effort of outfielder Brett Phillips, being asked to pitch late in the game in scrap duty.
With the Rays trailing 9-1, Kevin Cash sent Phillips to the mound for the final two innings. Phillips got an inning-ending double-play grounder on a mid-40s mph pitch during a five-pitch eighth inning, and made a sliding catch in front of the third-base dugout on Brown’s foul ball before giving up Sheldon Neuse’s first career grand slam with two out in the ninth.
The Rays and A’s run it back tonight from the Trop at 6:40pm, Tommy Romero will make his first MLB start tonight for Tampa.
