ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays had spent every day of the 2017 season within three games of .500, good or bad, until Friday’s emphatic 15-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
So the idea of seizing momentum and sustaining it for an extended win streak is still something foreign, even for a team in line for a wild-card berth in the current American League standings.
“The guys have come together really well and found ways to win series,” manager Kevin Cash said. “Some series we’ve won by slugging, some series we’ve won by getting really good starting pitching.