Late home runs power Rays past Indians in opener
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- The Tampa Bay Rays have struggled to get hits off Cleveland pitching.
Five was enough Tuesday night for a victory.
Logan Forsythe and Evan Longoria both hit two-run home runs in the eighth inning, and the Rays beat the Indians 5-1.
"A pretty exciting win, to say the least," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.
Forsythe ended Cory Kluber's night with his shot that made it 3-1 on a full-count, two-out pitch. Longoria added his drive off Cody Allen.
"I made a bad pitch at the biggest part of the game," Kluber said. "Fastball pretty much right down the middle."
Matt Moore gave up one run, five hits, one walk and had five strikeouts in seven innings for the Rays. Xavier Cedeno (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth.
Kluber (0-2) allowed three runs and four hits over 7 2/3 innings. The 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner struck out six and walked two.
"We didn't give in to a really good pitcher," Cash said. "He pretty much had his way with us for the better part of five, six, seven innings right there. Then we finally got something going."
The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Francisco Lindor's first homer of the season.
Corey Dickerson got the Rays' second hit, a two-out double in the seventh that left fielder Jose Ramirez moved in on at first and then had go over his head. Dickerson scored to tie it at 1 on a single by Desmond Jennings.
Tampa Bay had just three baserunners through six. Longoria hit a groundball single in the first and had a third-inning walk, and Kevin Kiermaier was hit by a pitch during the sixth.
Kiermaier also walked in the eighth in front of Forsythe's homer.
The Rays have homered in a team-record 21 straight games, dating to Sept. 20. All three of Tampa Bay's wins this season have come after being behind entering the eighth.
"That's why we play nine (innings)," Kiermaier said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Indians: OF Michael Brantley (right shoulder surgery) started a rehab assignment at Triple-A Columbus. He played four innings in left field and doubled in two at-bats. Manager Terry Francona said Brantley will play every other day for a week. ... Brantley and INF Lonnie Chisenhall (left wrist) will move their rehab assignments to Double-A Akron on Thursday.
Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) advanced to throwing 20 fastballs halfway up a mound. "I think from here on out things will start speeding up," said Cobb, who could return before the season ends. ... RHP Chase Whitley (Tommy John surgery) also threw 20 fastballs halfway up the mound.
MUCH BETTER CONDITIONS
After having three postponements due to inclement weather and two more starts delayed last week, the Indians took advantage of domed Tropicana Field for extra early work. "We've had so much down time, I think guys just want to go out and get the blood flowing," Francona said. ... RHP Josh Tomlin, whose first scheduled start Sunday at the Chicago White Sox was postponed, threw in a simulated game. Tomlin will face the New York Mets and RHP Matt Harvey on Saturday.
MOVING DAY
RHP Josh Martin, taken in the Rule 5 draft by San Diego, was returned to the Indians and will join Columbus.
UP NEXT
Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (0-0) will be hard pressed Wednesday night to match his last start against Tampa Bay on July 1 when Joey Butler broke up a no-hit bid with a two-out single in the ninth.
Rays: LHP Drew Smyly (0-1) had his second start of the season pushed back to Wednesday night after warming up in the bullpen Saturday at Baltimore for a game that was postponed.
