Rays 9, Rangers 0
Kelly Shoppach homered twice and drove in five runs and rookie Matt Moore was sensational over seven innings as the Rays cruised to a 9-0 victory over the host Texas Rangers in Friday’s opening game of their American League Division Series.
Shoppach belted a three-run homer in the third inning and a two-run shot in the fifth to become the third player in Tampa Bay history to have a multi-homer game in the postseason. Johnny Damon also went deep as the Rays victimized Texas ace C.J. Wilson for three homers on the night.
Moore excelled in his second major-league start, giving up just two hits in seven shutout innings. The 22-year-old lefty, who made his big-league debut on Sept. 14, struck out six and walked two.
Game 2 is Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Damon hit a two-run homer in the second to start the homer assault against Wilson, who allowed just two round-trippers in the final month of the regular season. Matt Joyce added a run-scoring single later in the inning.
Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist singled in the third prior to Shoppach’s blast to center that gave the Rays a 6-0 lead. Two innings later, Shoppach hit a booming 432-foot homer to left-center field.
Longoria and B.J. Upton are the other Tampa Bay players to hit two homers in a playoff game. Both accomplished the feat in 2008.
Josh Hamilton had both of Texas’ hits.
Wilson allowed eight runs (six earned) and seven hits in five innings.