SAN FRANCISCO _ The Rays do plenty of unusual things.
Sunday that included having lefty reliever Adam Kolarek go from the mound to play first base for a batter and return to pitching in the seventh inning of the game against the Giants.
Of greater significance, they did something never accomplished in any of their four playoff seasons or any other in their 22-year history, winning the first three series to start a season.
Sunday's 3-0 win made it two out of three over the Giants, following series wins over 2018 playoff participants Houston and Colorado. At 7-3, the Rays matched their 2010 division championship team for the best 10-game start in franchise history.
Until manager Kevin Cash got creative with his seventh inning shift show, the game was somewhat uneventful.
Yandy Diaz knocked Drew Pomeranz's second pitch of the splendid afternoon over the left-field wall, though it took replay to prove it. Yonny Chirinos pitched a solid five innings, allowing only two hits. Former Giant Christian Arroyo knocked in the second run with a single in the fourth, the third straight hit by the Rays in the inning. Kevin Kiermaier tripled in the eighth and scored when a balk was called on Nick Vincent for an attempted pickoff throw.
But the Kolarek move made the day different than just about any other.
Cash's premise was to keep Kolarek in the game when righty Evan Longoria, the ex-Ray, came up, so Kolarek could face two subsequent lefty hitters. The move worked, though Diego Castillo was needed to come in and replace Kolarek to get the final out.
Cash made two similar moves last year, having lefty Jose Alvarado move from the mound to play first for one batter and then go back to pitching in a game against Washington in June, and doing the same with righty Sergio Romo going to third during a game against the Yankees in July.
With the Rays leading 2-0, Kolarek _ who had already worked the sixth _ opened the seventh, allowing a single to Yangervis Solarte.
Cash summoned Roe to face right-handed-hitting ex-Ray Evan Longoria, moving Kolarek to first, so he could go back to the mound to face lefties Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford next.
Roe did his job by striking out Longoria. Kolarek, who was holding on the runner, went back to the mound. Diaz moved from first to third for the Kolarek shift (with third baseman Christian Arroyo coming out), and then Diaz went back to first. Brandon Lowe came into the game, playing second, with Daniel Robertson shifting to third.
Kolarek got Belt out but allowed a single to Crawford, and Castillo came in to finish the inning.
The Rays left after the game for Chicago, where they open a three-game series with the White Sox on Monday afternoon.
