Game 1: Opening Day went well, if a bit wild:
Another Opening Day at Publix Park and another Rays win, although they had to outlast the Blue Jays 9-6. It looked like a rout early when Omar Rodriguez hit a grand slam in his first at-bat of 2036, but surprise Opening Day starter Josh Carsello ran out of gas in his Rays debut in the 5th, and only managed to get the win thanks to Dayle Jenkins throwing a man out at the plate to end the inning, otherwise he would have been pulled. The bullpen was shaky with Danny Medina and Billy Hoyte giving up 3 runs in their 2 innings, but we kept answering with runs and Tim Siqueiros and Kikuo Kawase were in vintage form to close it out. Meanwhile, Daniel Vasquez has to feel good about getting through Opening Day without a season-ending injury like he couldn't last year.
Game 2: The Rays rode three solo homers and effective if wild pitching in a 4-0 win over Toronto. Josh Hanna reprised his early-season wildness of last year by walking 5 in 6 shutout innings but he didn't allow a hit until the 6th, giving up the only 2 the Jays had and whiffing 7 for the win. Vinny Willard made his MLB debut and got through the 7th allowing only a walk but then walked the first two men in the 8th, necessitating Jim Golunski to come in and whiff the next 3 batters. Although it wasn't a save situation, Kikuo Kawase came on again and had a 1-2-3 2K 9th. Bo Angeac homered in the 2nd to give the Rays the only run they'd need, but Jon Jimenez added a solo homer in the 4th. It was notable because it was off a lefty and the only reason Jimenez was even starting was because Eric Titcombe is suspended for the first 3 games thanks to abuse of an umpire during a spring training game. Jaiden Hardaway added an RBI double and then in the 6th Jim Gebers homered in his MLB debut after he stayed in the game when Toronto brought in a righty. Also making his MLB debut today was Jeff Hayes, who was 0-4 but had three line drives caught on the infield and the outfield.
MLB News: Columbus opened its season against Colorado yesterday and beat them again today for the second straight time by the score of 1-0 with their starter throwing a complete-game shutout. Yesterday it was Josh Doyle with a 2-hitter, fanning 11 and walking none; today it was Marco Sandoval with a 2-hitter as well, but he went Doyle even better by fanning 14 (and also walking none). Yesterday it was Andy Aparicio who was outdueled, and Victor de Jesus was 1-6 with a triple in the two games. Meanwhile, a couple of our starters from the last few years fared poorly in their debuts. Nate Schultz gave up 5 runs in 5 1/3 and got a no-decision although Baltimore won yesterday while Leo Ortega was hit for 4 runs in 4 2/3 and gave up a couple of homers in Houston as the Astros clobbered the Yankees in their opener.
Game 3: Nate Thompson, ladies and gentlemen. The righty, now in his 4th season in the Rays rotation, pitched the game of his career today as he twirled a 2-hit shutout, walking 1 and whiffing 11 in the process on 113 pitches as the Rays won 2-0 over Toronto. It was his first career shutout and he needed to be sharp as the Jays' Helcris Olivarez no-hit the Rays through 5 before Jaiden Hardaway led off the 6th with a double and Dayle Jenkins followed with his first homer of the season. Those two hits represented half of the team total today as runs (and hits) were scarce.
Game 4: The Rays swept the 4-game series from Toronto to start the year 4-0 thanks to a 13-inning come-from-behind 4-3 win at Publix Park. Kevin Kerstetter got the start and was excellent, going 6 5 1 1 0 8, but young Jays starter Wyatt Banks held the Rays' bats in check with a Danny Ayala RBI single make it 1-1 through 6. Danny Medina got the ball in the 7th and was terrible again, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits while retiring only one batter, and Vinny Willard got him out of it with a double play and pitched the 8th as well. The Rays got a run back in the 7th on a wild pitch and then in the 8th down 3-2 Eric Titcombe made his first appearance of the season after his 3-game suspension, pinch-hitting for Jon Jimenez when the Jays brought in a lefty. Titcombe came through with a 443-foot oppo shot to RCF to tie the game, and on and on we went through extras. Finally in the 13th Ayala led off with a double and came around to score on a Jeff Baez sac fly. That made of winner of Mike Wherry, who went 2 innings in his season debut after Tim Siqueiros turned in a pair of scoreless innings of his own.
Team record: 4-0. Next up: The Texas Rangers visit for 3 this weekend.