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Tampa Bay Rays: Set New Single-Season Home Run Record

By Althea Pashman

Apr 3, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (39) and left fielder Corey Dickerson (10) look on from the dugout against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (39) and left fielder Corey Dickerson (10) look on from the dugout against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The power-hitting Tampa Bay Rays set a new franchise record for home runs hit in a season with number 200 coming against Toronto.

The home run is one of the more exciting hits in the game of baseball. For years the Tampa Bay Rays were never a home run hitting ball club.

They were always about pitching and defense and they had success with that formula.

However, the problem was that the Rays always came up short in the runs scored department and not scoring runs despite having success in winning wasn’t enough to win games especially late in the season.

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Matt Silverman the Tampa Bay Rays President of Baseball Operations addressed the need by adding to power to the Rays lineup.

Last off-season signed to help in that department were Brad Miller, Logan Morrison and Corey Dickerson via trades and signing free agent Steve Pearce.

While Miller, Morrison and Dickerson remain, Pearce was traded to the Orioles at the trade deadline on August 1.

As the Rays entered their Wednesday game against the Toronto Blue Jays, they had hit 198 home runs, one shy of tying the club record of 199 set by the 2009 team.

When the day was over, the Rays not only had defeated Toronto 8-1 but they broke the franchise record for home runs in a season.

The record-setters were Kevin Kiermaier who hit number 199 to tie the franchise record for home runs and Corey Dickerson who was responsible for the record-breaking 200th.

"Manager Kevin Cash took the record-breaking event in stride but added “Great. “I’m glad we did it with a win.”"

The franchise tying homer by Kiermaier was his 12th of the season giving the Tampa Bay Rays a 2-1 lead. The homer was his fourth in his past seven games to extend his career-high.

Additionally, Kiermaier has hit safely in 14 of his past 16 games to raise his batting average from .219 to .250 along with eight RBIs.

As well, he has added 6 stolen bases, which have tied his career high of 18 set last season.

Dickerson’s record-breaking blast came in the sixth inning and against a left-hander.

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I mention that because he had just one home run in 84 at-bats against a left-hander all season and of his 59 career home runs only six have come against a lefty.

"“It’s something you can build off of,” Dickerson said.“We know what we can do. So we always know in the back of our mind we’re capable of hitting a deep ball, even if it’s late in the game or we’re behind by a little, that maybe we’ll come back.”"

Plus the homer was his 20th of the season putting him four homers shy of tying his career high set in 2014.

More so, Dickerson has been on fire at the plate over his last twelve games.

During this span he’s line is .378/.391/.600 with two home runs, 4-2B and 10-RBI and has seen his overall batting climb from .230 to .237.

“I’m really big on my rhythm right now,” Dickerson said. “I’m feeling good when I go to the cage, everything feels in rhythm, and that’s what I carry into the game.”

Meanwhile, as the team heads into Baltimore for their weekend series, they’ll have hit 28 home runs in their past 15 games and 53 in their past 31 since August 13.

On a side note, the Rays have hit 15 homers against the Orioles this season at Camden Yards, with Longoria (3), Dickerson and Kiermaier (2 each) to lead the blast attack.

Evan Longoria continues to lead the team with 32 round-trippers and is followed by Brad Miller (28) and Dickerson (20).

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Logan Forsythe (19) and Steven Souza Jr. (17) will have 17 more games to join the 20-homer club.

The last time the Rays had three players with 20 homers in a season was back in 2011 (also 2009, 2008, 2005, 2004, and 2000).

On a positive note, Alex Cobb won his first game since returning from Tommy John surgery. Cobb allowed one run on two hits with four strikeouts and three walks in 6-2/3 innings.

Next: Tampa Bay Rays: Injuries Piling Up as Season Winds Down

After giving up a run in the first inning he went on to retire 18 of the final 20 batters he faced.

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