MLB
Scores/Schedules Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries
Players
Message board
Weekly lineup

  Tuesday, Mar. 21 1:05pm ET
Texas 23, Tampa Bay 9
 
  RECAP

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) _ Ruben Mateo went 4-for-4, scored five runs and drove in four Tuesday to lead the Texas Rangers to a 23-9 romp over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Mateo homered, doubled twice and singled.

Rusty Greer and Ivan Rodriguez homered for Texas, and B.J. Wazgis, Mike Lamb and Scott Sheldon hit consecutive shots in the eighth. Texas also had seven doubles among its 20 hits.

Steve Cox homered twice for Tampa Bay. Dave Hollins, Tony Graffanino and Bobby Smith also connected for the Devil Rays.

Devil Rays starter Esteban Yan entered the game with an 0.64 ERA, but was pulled with one out and the bases loaded in the third inning after giving up his seventh walk.

Texas followed its nine-run third with a five-run fourth.

Trailing 16-0, Tampa Bay broke through in the sixth with a five-run burst against Jeff Zimmerman. Graffanino and Smith homered on consecutive pitches and later connected.

Hollins hit a three-run homer in the seventh. A pitch later, Cox launched his second homer, a shot that just missed the top of the six-story light standard in right field.

Wazgis, Lamb and Sheldon homered in the eighth off Tampa Bay's seventh pitcher, Rick White.

John Wetteland made his spring debut for Texas, tossing a 1-2-3 first inning.

The Devil Rays played without most of their starters one day after returning from a two-game series in Venezuela.

Esteban Loaiza retired 12 of the 13 batters he faced to pick up the win.

Notes: Texas manager Johnny Oates picked Kenny Rogers as the opening day pitcher. Rogers will be followed by Rick Helling, Darren Oliver, Loaiza and Mark Clark. ... The Rangers trimmed seven players from their roster Tuesday. Outfielder David Hulse, catcher Cesar King, shortstop Kelly Dransfeldt, righthand pitcher Danny Kolb, lefthand pitcher Doug Davis and righthand pitcher Ryan Glynn will start the year at Triple-A Oklahoma City. Righthand pitcher Joaquin Benoit was sent to Double-A Tulsa.

 


ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard

Tampa Bay Clubhouse

Texas Clubhouse