ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — The Tampa Bay Rays matched the best start to a major league season in 20 years, routing the Oakland Athletics 11-0 Sunday for a 9-0 record as Drew Rasmussen combined on a one-hitter and Brandon Lowe hit a grand slam.
Tampa Bay has outscored opponents 75-18, scoring the most runs in the big leagues and allowing the fewest. The 2003 Kansas City Royals had been the previous team to start 9-0.
Oakland has lost seven of nine.
Rasmussen (2-0) allowed his only runner on Ramon Laureano’s two-out double in the second and pitched seven innings. James Kaprielian (0-1) allowed seven runs, seven hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings.
