West Coast Wrecking Crew: Rays Make History with 9-0 Sweep

The Tampa Bay Rays just did something only one East Coast team had ever pulled off. And they made it look easy.

The AL-best Rays wrapped up a historic 9-0 West Coast road trip Wednesday night, torching the Athletics 8-4 in West Sacramento. It's only the second time in MLB history an East Coast squad swept a nine-game Western swing — joining the 1977 Boston Red Sox.

History Made

Tampa Bay flexed early and often. Liam Hicks went 3-for-5 and hammered a three-run homer in a four-run fourth inning that broke things open. Jonny DeLuca also finished with three hits, and Cedric Mullins added a two-out RBI double in the third.

Drew Rasmussen wasn't perfect — his scoreless streak ended at 22 2/3 innings on Carlos Cortes' two-run double in the third — but he still did enough over five efficient innings to win his fifth straight start and improve to 12-5.

The Rays swept series at Colorado, Seattle, and then the A's — pouring in 30 runs in their three wins against Oakland alone. Now 74-46 on the season, they're 33-28 away from home and have matched the longest road winning streak in franchise history. They also became just the 13th team since 1900 to go 9-0 on any trip.

For the A's? Pain. Zack Gelof hit his 13th homer, Lawrence Butler added his ninth, and that was about it. They've lost three straight and nine of 11. Starter Jack Perkins took another beating, giving up seven runs — six earned — on 12 hits over five innings.

Rays get Baltimore at home Friday. The A's host Texas. But right now, Tampa Bay's West Coast takeover belongs in the history books.