Back to the Rays Report

Roger Mooney

Roger Mooney covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Tampa Tribune, TBO.com and News Channel 8. He has covered the Rays since their first season in 1998, including 11 years for the Bradenton Herald. Roger has also covered Florida, South Florida and Florida State football, the Bucs and the Lightning.

 @RMooneyTrib
 TBO_Rays
Send us your questions

More Links:

• Schedule/Results
• Player Stats
• Team Stats

Most Recent Entries

• Gausman is Bowman’s No. 3 redemption card
• Topps previews baseball Update series
• Panini’s Prime Hockey will have extra treat
• Rays juggle rotation to get Cobb a start this weekend against Yankees
• Beckett opens weekly Wednesday chat room on Facebook page
• Rays @ Jays: Joyce update, Longo DH, Molina returns
• NFL Network report on Revis is revealing
• In The Game acquires Sport Kings LP
• Pasco WR Nate Craig (2016) up to 15 Division I offers
• Tampa Bay softball players honored by FACA
• Western Conference Baseball Teams
• Pasco baseball players Blaine Duncan, Matt Plourde headed to Barry, Daytona State respectively
• Maddon changes stance on Escobar’s home run guesture
• Panini previews Rookies & Stars football
• A peek at Panini’s 2013 Cooperstown Collection

More

• Bucs Report -Tribune staff
• Rays Report - Roger Mooney
• Bolts Report - Erik Erlendsson
• Bulls Report
• Prep Report - Hillsborough
• Prep Report - Pasco
• Prep Report - Region
• Prep Report - Recruiting Updates
• Prep Report - Football
• Go Fishing: On The Waterfront
• The Sports Bookie - Bob D'Angelo
• Gators Report - Tribune staff
• Youth Sports Report
• NFL Draft Report
• Go Ask: Frank's Tacklebox
• Bucified Bert Blog
• BUK Power - Bucs Fan Blog
• Pigskin Preacher - NFL Fan Blog
• Breakfast Bonus - Tom McEwen
• Highlands Sports

Monthly Archives

• May 2013
• April 2013
• March 2013
• February 2013
• January 2013
• December 2012

Peña hits grand slam in first at-bat of the year

Posted Apr 6, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated Apr 6, 2012 at 04:12 PM

ROGER MOONEY
ST. PETERSBURG Rays fans inside the Trop welcomed Carlos Peña back today with the loudest ovation during the pregame introductions.

It didn’t take long for Peña to say thank you.

Peña hit a grand slam in his first at-bat to give the Rays a 4-0 lead.

Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia walked Sean Rodriguez intentionally with first base open and two outs in the first inning to get to Pena. A bit of over-managing by Yankees skipper Joe Girardi, perhaps, but Peña was 4-for-35 with two home runs lifetime against Sabathia.

Peña worked the count full then drove the baseball into the right-center field seats, a drive estimated at 428 feet.

It was the second Opening Day grand slam in team history and the first at home. Fred McGriff hit one at Minnesota in 2000.

It was also the eighth grand slam of Peña’s career, his fifth as a Ray. That ties him with Ben Zobrist for the most in franchise history.

It was also just the second grand slam allowed by CC Sabathia.