TAMPA – The Rays were not shy about using closer Alex Colome in the eighth inning last season, and he had more success than one would realize, given all the runners that seemed to be on base.
Colome led the majors with six saves of our or more outs. He actually blew only one save when entering in the eighth and allowed Blue Jays to take the lead when he entered the game April 30 in Toronto with the score tied at 1.
RELATED: It's personal this season for Blake Snell
Colome is up for the task this year, but manager Kevin Cash said that is currently not in the plans.
"I don't think so," Cash said Monday. "We tried that last year. Probably wasn't fair given the workload we were asking him to do. We're going to ask him to pitch in tied ball games, I know that, but I think most of his work will come in the ninth inning. If it's a big situation where we got to try to get a four-out save, we'll consider that, but it's not a situation we want to overly abuse."
A first for Miller
1B Brad Miller could see time at second base this year, but Cash said that won't happen until the regular season.
Miller played in his third game this spring Monday night against the Yankees, and all were at first base, where he is expected to form a left-right platoon with the right-handed hitting C.J. Cron.
"We know what Brad is capable of doing at second," Cash said. "I think with the (broken toe and lower body injury earlier this spring) it certainly hasn't helped. We got to get him as many reps at first and we got to get him as many at-bats as possible. I think right now we're going to look at him at a lot of first base and some DH at-bats."
RELATED: Marc Topkin sorts out Rays pitching plans
Under the lights
The Rays played their first night game Monday and play their second tonight in Sarasota against the Orioles. Since they won't play again at night until March 30, the second day of the regular season, the early part of this week provided the players with a brief chance to replicate the game-day schedule they will follow most of the regular season.
"Spring training is so backwards. I am usually in bed right now," said Miller, who left the game close to 9 p.m. "That's how it is. Spring training you get up at 6 in the morning. You're done by 3. The (regular) season you get to the field at 3."
Game report
C David Rodriguez, who played last season at Class A Charlotte, hit a three-run homer in the ninth and RF Carlos Gomez followed with his second homer in as many days as the Rays rallied for a 4-2 victory against the Yankees in Tampa. Minor-league RHP Mike Franco walked one in the ninth but struck out RF Aaron Judge for the second out and got a grounder to first to record the save.
LHP Blake Snell wasn't happy with the way he "nitpicked" around the strike zone early in his outing (three walks), but he settled down to strike out nine in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out DH Giancarlo Stanton twice.
Gomez also doubled. He's batting .333. LF Denard Span and CF Kevin Kiermaier both singled in the ninth to set the table for Rodriguez, who did not hit a home run last season at Charlotte.
Miscellany
- OF Mallex Smith (right hamstring tightness) is scheduled to play today in a minor-league game. It will be his first game action since March 8 when he sustained the injury. Smith still believes he can make the opening day roster.
- RHP Sergio Romo pitched a perfect inning with a pair of strikeouts Monday against the Orioles Class A team.
- LHP Dan Jennings pitched a scoreless innings Monday in the same minor-league game.
- Position players scheduled to play tonight against the Orioles in Sarasota are Cron, 2B Joey Wendle, SS Adeiny Hechavarria and 3B Matt Duffy. Jesus Sucre is scheduled to catch.
Contact Roger Mooney at rmooney@tampabay.com. Follow @rogermooney50