Blackburn go 5 scoreless, hand A Rays 1st loss, 13-2

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Paul Blackburn allowed three hits in five scoreless innings, Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus both hit three-run homers, and the Oakland Athletics handed the Tampa Bay Rays their first loss of the season, 13-2 on Monday night.

Blackburn (1-0) retired seven and scored one on goal, helping the rebuilding A’s under new manager Mark Kotsay win their second straight after starting the season with two defeats. Oakland lost two of three to Philadelphia over the weekend.

With the Rays leading 9-1, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash sent outfielder Brett Phillips to the mound for the final two innings. Phillips got a late-inning double-play grounder on a mid-40 mph pitch at Andrus on a five-pitch eighth inning, and made a sliding catch past the third base dugout on Brown’s foul ball before abandoning the first of Sheldon Neuse. Career Grand Slam with two outs in the ninth.

Wander Franco had his third three-hit game of the season for the Rays, who started the season with a three-game sweep of Baltimore in which they beat the Orioles 15-4.


Rays starter Luis Patiño (0-1) started in the first inning with a tight left oblique.

Chris Mazza replaced Patiño with two outs and an 0-2 count over Sean Murphy and hit the catcher in the back with his first pitch. Brown then hit his three-point shot and Chad Pinder followed with a solo drive that made it 4-0.

Andrus’ three-point drive in the second against Mazza gave Oakland an 8-0 lead. He finished with three hits.

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