PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) — Evan Longoria and Sean Rodriguez homered Saturday to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 9-5 exhibition victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
AL Cy Young Award runner-up David Price pitched a scoreless inning in the Grapefruit League opener, and offseason acquisition Robinson Chirinos hit a three-run double to snap a seventh-inning tie for the defending AL East champions.
The Pirates scored two early runs off right-hander Adam Russell, then managed just two hits over the final seven innings.
The Rays wore the caps of the St. Petersburg police department in honor of three officers who killed in the line of duty in the past month. Flags at Charlotte Sports Park were lowered to half-staff and a moment of silence was observed.
