ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Maybe it was the day off. The good vibes from saluting their 2020 World Series season as part of the home opener ceremonies. Or just the sight of the rival Yankees.
Whatever it was, it worked, as the Rays snapped a four-game losing streak with a 10-5 win Friday before a reduced-capacity crowd of 9,021 at Tropicana Field.
Joey Wendle had the key hit, a two-run double in the third inning that put the Rays ahead to stay, 5-4. Brandon Lowe had another big one, a bases-clearing double in the fifth that expanded the lead to 9-4. Yandy Diaz, Yoshi Tsutsugo, Austin Meadows and Willy Adames (who had two) added extra-base hits.
Rich Hill rebounded from a shaky Rays debut to deliver a strong six-inning start. Hill, the crafty 41-year-old lefty, retired the first eight Yankees he faced and the last 10, with the four batters in between each getting hits and scoring.
Hunter Strickland, called up Friday when Pete Fairbanks became the latest Rays reliever sidelined by injury, worked the seventh and into the eighth, allowing a homer to DJ LeMahieu. Chris Mazza pitched the ninth.
The Rays jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second, taking advantage of several misplays by the Yankees. Diaz reached on a throwing error by LeMahieu, Wendle singled, Adames doubled in a run and Brett Phillips, just activated off the injured list, had a sacrifice fly.
The Yankees scored their four off Hill in the third, as Tyler Wade singled, LeMahieu doubled, Giancarlo Stanton singled and Aaron Hicks homered.
But the Rays came right back, and chased New York starter Corey Kluber. They got three in the third as Tsutsugo singled, Austin Meadows walked, Randy Arozarena singled in a run, Diaz walked and Wendle doubled in two.
Then the Rays broke it open in the fourth. Mike Zunino was hit by a pitch, Tsutsugo walked, and Meadows singled to load the bases. Lowe stayed down on a pitch and laced a double to center that scored them all. Diaz followed with an RBI single to make it 9-4.
Adames, who just missed a homer on his double, got it over the wall in the seventh to make it 10-4.
The Rays and Yankees play matinees on Saturday and Sunday, with 1:10 starts.
