WASHINGTON -- Tampa Bay's "Opener" experiment continued on Wednesday afternoon, and the results were the equivalent of a lab explosion during an 11-2 loss to the Nationals.
In defeat, the Rays saw their losing streak move to six games. They ended their three-city, nine-game road trip with a 3-6 mark.
Jonny Venters made his first career start, serving as the Rays' "opener" on Wednesday afternoon. The veteran reliever entered the game on a roll, riding a streak of nine consecutive scoreless appearances to make the historic start -- the first pitcher in Major League history to start a game after three Tommy John surgeries (2005, '13 and '14).