Boys of summer are back
Star shortstop Jose Reyes injured in lopsided loss to Rays
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher R.A. Dickey delivers a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of the teams’ season opener Monday in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Rays went on to win 9-2. Full story, D3.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jose Reyes was put on the disabled list after aggravating a hamstring injury, R.A. Dickey struggled and the Toronto Blue Jays ended up with a one-sided loss to Tampa Bay.
David Price took a shutout into the eighth inning and Matt Joyce drove in three runs Monday to help the Rays begin the season with a 9-2 victory over Blue Jays.
Reyes was lifted after his first at-bat because of a tight left hamstring, an injury that first bothered him late in spring training. The star shortstop led off the game and was robbed of a hit on a diving catch by Rays centre fielder Desmond Jennings.
“I tried to run a little bit faster between home plate and first base, and I kind of feel my hammy there,” Reyes said. “So I have to slow down and get out of the game because I don’t want to get any worse.”
Reyes missed several games during the final week of spring training and wasn’t at 100 per cent for exhibition games Friday and Saturday in Montreal.
“Irritated the same spot, so that’s a concern,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said.
Several hours later the Blue Jays put him on the DL.
Reyes said the hamstring was “good enough” to play in Montreal and felt better Monday.
“When I tried for a little speed, something not right,” Reyes said.
Reyes missed 66 games last season after going on the DL April 13 with a sprained left ankle — after just 10 into his first season with the Blue Jays.
He was replaced in the field by Ryan Goins. The Blue Jays purchased the contract of infielder Jonathan Diaz from TripleA Buffalo to take Reyes’ roster spot.
Price (1-0) allowed two runs and six hits over 7 1-3 innings to beat R.A. Dickey in a matchup of 2012 Cy Young Award winners. The hard-throwing lefty walked one and struck out six before a crowd of 31,042 at Tropicana Field — the Rays’ ninth consecutive sellout for a home opener.
“It’s really disappointing and frustrating,” Dickey said. “You feel like you let a lot of people down. Against David Price, one of the best pitchers in baseball, if you don’t match him inning per inning, it’s going to be tough to win the game. I put us in a hole early. Walked some guys early, gave up some 0-2 hits with runners in scoring position, and that was the game.”
Dickey dropped to 14-13 with a 4.21 ERA last season after winning 20 games and NL Cy Young honours with the Mets two years ago. The 39-year-old knuckleballer is off to another shaky start after allowing six runs, five hits and walking six over five innings against essentially the same Tampa Bay lineup he went 3-1 against in 2013.
Joyce had a sacrifice fly and two-run double off Dickey (0-1), who yielded six two-out runs in five innings. Evan Longoria got the Rays going with a firstinning RBI single and Wil Myers drove in two more when he singled with the bases loaded in the second.
Price limited the Blue Jays to four singles and had only allowed two runners past second base before Maicer Izturis opened the eighth with his second hit of the day. Pinch-hitter Erik Kratz followed with a firstpitch, two-run homer over the centre-field wall. ANAHEIM, Calif. — Abraham Almonte hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the seventh inning and Felix Hernandez struck out 11 in the newlook Seattle Mariners’ 10-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
Justin Smoak hit a threerun homer and Dustin Ackley had a three-run triple while the Mariners batted around in the ninth inning, roaring back from an early two-run deficit for their eighth straight victory on opening day.
Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 with a double and an intentional walk in the $240 million second baseman’s debut for new Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon.