Tampa Bay tops Yanks 7-6 for season opener

(AP) - Carlos Pena hit an early grand slam off CC Sabathia, then completed a ninth-inning comeback with an RBI single off Mariano Rivera that lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a season-opening 7-6 victory

News 12 Staff

Apr 6, 2012, 11:35 PM

Updated 4,537 days ago

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(AP) - Carlos Pena hit an early grand slam off CC Sabathia, then completed a ninth-inning comeback with an RBI single off Mariano Rivera that lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a season-opening 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday. Rivera had been 60 of 61 in save chances against the Rays. But Ben Zobrist tripled home the tying run against baseball's career saves leader. After intentionally walking two batters to load the bases, Rivera struck out Sean Rodriguez. Pena won it by driving a 1-2 pitch off the base of the wall in left-center field. Pena, making his return to the Rays after a year away, hit his slam in the first. Evan Longoria hit a solo homer in the Rays third, and it stayed 6-5 until the ninth.