Rays keep rolling with 4 more homers

April 12, 2023 general

Wednesday, 3 a.m. So far, the streak has been talked about over headlines, over time zones, over fan bases. Suddenly, it is being talked about over history. The more this team wins, the more memories it brings up. The calendar flips backward, back to when baseball was played by stiff-legged men in black-and-white. Content beyond […]

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Lowe’s homer, strong bullpen lead Rays

April 11, 2023 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. What? They won by only one? Shouldn’t heads roll? The Tampa Bay Rays, as good as they have ever been, ran their record to 10-0 Monday night with a 1-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox. For the first time all season, the Rays didn’t win by at least four, and they […]

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Rays’ offensive weapons include hustle

April 10, 2023 general

Monday, 4 a.m. Through nine games, they have shown everything. The undefeated, scalding-hot Tampa Bay Rays have shown great offense. They’ve shown dominating pitching. They’ve shown breathtaking defense. Oh, and this. Hustle. Content beyond this point is for members only. Already a member? To view the rest of this column, sign in using the handy […]

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Bolts’ backslide continues with sloppy loss

April 9, 2023 general

Monday, 4 a.m. If they had not been so good, for so long, perhaps these days would not seem so homely. But they are the Tampa Bay Lightning , a team that has lived in the Stanley Cup Finals. And now they seem to be dying. The Bolts were clobbered yet again Saturday night, losing […]

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Rays continue to flex their offensive muscles

April 9, 2023 general

Sunday, 4 a.m. There are bruises on the baseball. There are skid marks on the base paths. There are dents in the fences. And the Tampa Bay Rays keep celebrating. The Rays, expected to be one of the worst hitting teams in the major leagues, continued their barrage on Saturday afternoon. They wore out the […]

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Rays’ bats stay hot in victory over A’s

April 8, 2023 general

Saturday, 4 a.m. How long is it before a nice start becomes a misconception? The angry-hitting Tampa Bay Rays, the surprise of Major League Baseball so far, were at it again Friday. Once again, they hit homers, and once again, it meant victory, and once again the team cruised. For the Rays, it was just […]

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Lightning defense struggles in defeat

April 7, 2023 general

Friday, 4 a.m. Be careful as you walk around today. A member of the Tampa Bay Lightning might fall on you. The Lightning, slumping at a time of year teams like to get hot, were clobbered again on Friday night. This time it was 6-1 by the New York Islanders, who kept the Lightning’s problems […]

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McClanahan at his best in toughest moment

April 6, 2023 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. Overall, it was not the best of Shane McClanahan. Break it down, however, and it was terrific. Go to the bottom of the fourth inning, an inning when McClanahan was looking rather pedestrian against the Washington Nationals. He had given up a doub.le and four straight singles to start the inning, and […]

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Lightning clobbered in another sloppy game

April 6, 2023 general

Friday, 4 a.m. Sometimes they fly. Sometimes they fall. Some days, they are hell on ice. Some days, they play like it. There are nights when the Tampa Bay Lightning makes you wonder how far they might go in the upcoming NHL playoffs. And others when you wonder how fast they might fall. The bad […]

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Raley, Lowe lead Rays to win in the ninth

April 5, 2023 general

Wednesday, 4 a.m. No one could blame you if you turned off the Tampa Bay Rays game early Tuesday night. But aren’t you glad you didn’t? The Rays, somehow, won for the fifth time in five games, coming from behind to beat the Washington Nationals 10-6. The Rays, for the first time this season, got […]

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