The Tampa Bay Rays tied a modern MLB record with their 13th consecutive win to start the season with a 9-3 victory over the Red Sox on Thursday. Here’s what you need to know:
Tampa Bay joins the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers and the 1982 Atlanta Braves as the only teams in the modern era (since 1901) to start a 13-game season in a row.
The 13th straight win also set a new franchise record, surpassing the 2004 Rays, who won 12 in a row from June 9-22.
The Rays have won 11 of their games by at least four runs.
They have more home runs (32) than runs allowed (30).
Instant Athletic Analysis:
What did the line do for ratings
The Rays streaming audience, available through the Bally Sports app and Bally Sports+, is up more than 125 percent over last season’s average.
Rays local viewership, on Bally Sports Sun, is up 26 percent over the team’s first 12 games last year.
Monday’s and Wednesday’s victories against the Red Sox on the Bally Sports Sun have been more widely watched than any Rays game all past season on the network.
Audiences on Wednesday night peaked at a rating of 6.64 with over 205,000 viewers tuned in to Tampa Street. The home market is at the end of the game, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. Wednesday’s match was Bally’s most watched in at least three years, prehistoric.
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