A modern major-league record the Braves have proudly owned for 41 years will be on the line Friday night when the Tampa Bay Rays play the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Rays have started the season 13-0, tying the mark set by the 1982 Braves and equaled by the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers.
The 1982 Braves were managed by Joe Torre and featured outfielder Dale Murphy (36 homers, 109 RBIs), third baseman Bob Horner (32 homers and 97 RBIs) and pitcher Phil Niekro (17-4, 3.61 ERA). Other key Braves included outfielders Brett Butler and Claudell Washington, first baseman Chris Chambliss, catcher Bruce Benedict, pitchers Gene Garber and Rick Camp, and infielders Glenn Hubbard and Rafael Ramirez.
The Braves lost to the Reds 2-1 in their 14th game and finished the regular season with a 89-73 record and won the West Division. They were swept by the Cardinals in three games in the playoffs.
The only longer opening streak in major-league baseball history is a 20-0 mark by the 1884 St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association.
The Rays have won all but two of their 13 games by four or more runs and have outscored opponents 101-30 with the most runs in the big leagues and the fewest allowed.
Catcher Christian Bethancourt is the only former Brave on the Rays’ roster.
Drew Rasmussen (2-0) starts for Tampa Bay Friday at Toronto, which goes with José Berríos (0-2). First pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.
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