Tampa Bay Rays fans love Taj Bradley’s mom doing the book for his MLB debut in team’s 12th straight win: "Frame that scorecard" "Major Shelley energy"
Tampa Bay Rays rookie pitcher Taj Bradley was cool, calm, and collected while making his major-league debut with the team's season-opening win streak hanging in the balance.
Bradley struck out eight Boston Red Sox batters, walked just one, and allowed three earned runs over five innings to earn his MLB victory and propel the Rays to their 12th consecutive triumph to open the season with a 9-7 score.
Tampa Bay is now one win away from tying the MLB record of 13 straight victories to open a season, a mark shared by the 1982 Atlanta Braves and the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers.
Love that Taj Bradley’s mom is doing the book during his MLB debut https://t.co/n85wX5GfFU
Tampa Bay Rays fans were delighted to see Taj Bradley's mother, Shelley, keeping book of the game with her scorecard from behind home plate. That scorecard is a definite keeper and one for the Bradley family history books.
@TalkinBaseball_ Gonna frame that scorecard ❤️
@TalkinBaseball_ major Shelley energy
@TalkinBaseball_ That’s a mom that watched every single one of her son’s games
Tampa Bay went up 3-0 in the first inning on a three-run home run by Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena. The Red Sox posted a lone run in the fourth, but were answered by three more Tampa Bay runs.
Boston chased Bradley after he allowed two runs in the fifth, but those tallies were again matched by a pair of Rays runs at the bottom of the frame to make the game 7-3 in favor of the hosts.
The Red Sox, however, made things uncomfortable for the crowd by pulling within 8-7 after scoring three runs over the sixth and seventh innings.
However, an Arozarena sacrifice fly in the eighth scored Wander Franco for what was the game's final run, as Tampa Bay reliever Pete Fairbanks earned the save with a clean ninth.
@TalkinBaseball_ https://t.co/K0W7IWNj6H
@TalkinBaseball_ MLB should consider investigating this
@TalkinBaseball_ https://t.co/gS2DdHbfx3
While Tampa Bay Rays fans rejoiced in their hot start, much of the rest of the MLB community remains unconvinced as none of the team's first four opponents of the season — Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, and Red Sox own a winning record. The quartet is a combined 14-34 on the season.
@TalkinBaseball_ This is undoubtedly very impressive but I would like to see them play some real good teams soon just to see how good they really are
@TalkinBaseball_ Ok yeah they’re good haha
MLB fans also continue to lament Tampa Bay's consistently inconsistent fan support. Despite being treated to one of the best-run organizations in baseball for the majority of this century, fans continue to stay away from the Rays' Tropicana Field home — even for the debut of Taj Bradley pitching for the team's 12th straight win.
@TalkinBaseball_ Have they sold out a game yet?
@TalkinBaseball_ All 137 fans go wild!!!!
Taj Bradley unfazed by Tampa Bay Rays winning streak
Taj Bradley, called up from Triple-A Durham just yesterday to replace injured Rays starting pitcher Zac Eflin, remained largely unfazed by the gravity of the moment. According to Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash, he will remain in the team's starting rotation at least until Eflin returns from the injury list.