WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The AL-best Tampa Bay Rays became the second East Coast team in major league history to go 9-0 on a West Coast trip, beating the Athletics 8-4 on Wednesday behind a three-run homer from Liam Hicks and another solid start by Drew Rasmussen.
The Rays swept three-game series at Colorado and Seattle before scoring 30 runs in their three wins over the Athletics. Tampa Bay joins the Boston Red Sox, who did it in 1977, as the only teams to go 9-0 out West. The Rays became the 13th team since 1900 to go 9-0 on any trip, and they matched the longest road winning streak in franchise history.
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The Red Sox also had an unbeaten nine-game trip this year that began with a series at the Los Angeles Angels.
Rasmussen (12-5) saw his scoreless streak end at 22 2/3 innings when he gave up a two-run double to Carlos Cortes in the third, but he completed an efficient five innings to win his fifth straight start.
Hicks went 3 for 5. His 16th homer capped a four-run fourth against Athletics rookie Jack Perkins (2-9).
Jonny DeLuca also had three hits as Tampa Bay (74-46) improved to 33-28 on the road.
Zack Gelof hit his 13th homer and Lawrence Butler added his ninth for the Athletics, who have lost three straight and 9 of 11.
Richie Palacios had an RBI single in the Rays' two-run second. Cedric Mullins made it 3-0 in the third with a two-out RBI double.
Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero had consecutive two-out singles in the fourth to make it 4-2. Díaz added an RBI single in the eighth.
Perkins gave up seven runs — six earned — on 12 hits in five innings. The right-hander is 0-7 in 11 starts.
The Rays open a four-game series against visiting Baltimore beginning Friday, while the Athletics host Texas for three games starting Friday.
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