Friday, 4 a.m.
If Opening Day can be viewed as an opening statement, there was only one message delivered by the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday.
Oops.
The Rays dropped their first game, 9-7, to the St. Louis Cardials at Busch Stadium. Along the way, there were several misstatements, and misplays, by the Rays.
-- Their bullpen was dreadful, giving up eight runs in the sixth inning (and blowing a 7-1 lead). Ian Seymour, in particular, had a tough night, giving up five runs without getting anyone out.
-- They weren't opportunistic enough. The Rays stranded 16 runners. In the ninth, Richie Palacious struck out with the bases loaded.
The Rays' offense did well enough at times. They had 17 hits and six walks. Yandy Diaz, Ben Williamson and Nick Fortes all had three hits. Jonathan Aranda and Jonny Aranda had two.
Still, they blew a six-run lead. That's a tough way to start a season.
Drew Rasmussen, the Rays' starter, went five innings and gave up just one hit.
Saturday, the Rays and Cardinals play again at Busch at 2:15 p.m. Joe Boyle will start for the Rays against Michael McGreevey.