Rays blast Red Sox, run season-opening win streak to 11

St. PETERSBURG — For all the history they’ve made, the records they’ve threatened, the staggering number of runs they’ve scored, the home runs they’ve hit and the zeroes their pitchers have posted rolling in a franchise-record and majors-best start with 11 straight wins — two shy of the modern-day record — the Rays insist they’re doing nothing out of the ordinary.

“I think we’re just playing good baseball,” outfielder Josh Lowe said. “I think everyone feels the same. It’s not like it’s out of the blue. We all know we are a great team. We are good players. And we’re going to keep showing up every night and keep doing our job.”

They’re doing very well, Tuesday’s 7-2 win over the Red Sox being the latest example of the quality overall game they’re playing.

There was stronger pitching as Shane McClanahan didn’t allow a hit until the fifth and struck out nine, despite feeling “a little off” mechanically at the start and walking four.

Another power show, as they got homers from Isaac Paredes, Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe (who went deep for a career-high-matching fourth straight game) and Josh Lowe.

And some dazzling defense, including highlight-worthy catches from Randy Arozarena in left and Josh Lowe in center, before an announced Tropicana Field crowd of 12,649.

With an 11-game winning streak, the Rays tied the 1981 A’s for the second-longest hitting streak of the modern era (since 1901). Only the 1987 Brewers and 1982 Braves have won more, sharing the record at 13. (The 1884 St. Louis Maroons hold the all-time season-opening record at 20.)

The Rays are also one win away from tying the franchise-best 12-game hitting streak set in June 2004 under Lou Piniella.

“Its history, it’s not lost on us, we can say that,” Brandon Lowe said. “We understand what is happening. But like we said earlier, we’re going out there, we’re playing our game. We’re not putting any extra pressure on anything, we’re not looking at our schedule, looking at our record right now.

“We’re just a bunch of guys in our locker room going out there playing the game we want and letting things sort themselves out. We’re running the ball hard, we’re making plays, we’ve been great teammates with each other on the field, off the field, everything. It really brought us together, and we saw what it could produce.”

The numbers are eye-opening everywhere you look, including this one: The Rays have trailed in the bottom of just five of their 99 innings.

Want more than the box score?

Subscribe to our free Rays Report newsletter

Columnist John Romano will send the latest Rays insights and analysis to keep you updated weekly during the season.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

Tampa Bay pitchers had allowed just 20 runs in 11 games and now had a franchise-record 32 scoreless innings streak (longest in the majors since 2015) until the Red Sox scored on a double-play grounder in the sixth.

“Just the overall execution was pretty remarkable,” manager Kevin Cash said.

Rays hitters launched homers in every game (including three games with four or more) and 29 in total, matching the modern-day most for 11 games; and they scored 83 runs, averaging 7.55 per game.

“It’s unbelievable,” McClanahan said. “It all kind of lifted us, our offense, and we believe in these guys. And they show why we believe in them. It’s awesome. It’s awesome to be a part of it. And especially when you’re out on the mound and you look up, it’s the fourth inning and the guys put up seven runs. So that’s pretty cool.”

If anyone is surprised by what the Rays are doing, they suggest that doubting them is at your peril.

“Maybe a lot of people don’t count on us,” Diaz said through team interpreter Manny Navarro.

“They’re probably saying, ‘How are they winning all these games?’ And they look at us just playing baseball.” (Though he left the game in the eighth after landing hard on his left shoulder, which has been an issue since late 2022, Diaz said he’s fine and will play Wednesday.)

And they made it clear that they were in it.

“I think it starts with the camaraderie that we have in this clubhouse,” McClanahan said. “We’re one cohesive unit this year. … We all pull for each other. We are all No. 1 each other’s biggest supporters. So it doesn’t matter who’s in the moment, we’re right with them.”

• • •

Sign up for the weekly Rays Report newsletter to get fresh insights on the Tampa Bay Rays and the rest of the majors from sports columnist John Romano.

Never miss the latest with Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team at Twitter and Facebook.