A city ordinance bans selling unofficial Major League Baseball merchandise and other items on downtown streets before a game -- see the "Clean Zone" map -- and scalping is no longer allowed at Tropicana Field.

But at least one entrepreneur has been spotted standing on Central Avenue at Eighth Street with a fistful of tickets in the air. Asking price: $300 apiece.

One man in a black SUV swerved over and asked the man if he had any tickets for $100 -- the lowest face-value tickets to the game. No dice.

But the scalper, who wouldn't give his full name, had a cell phone that wouldn't stop ringing.

Austin Bogues, Times Staff Writer

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