Atmosphere 'awesome' in unforgettable series in DR

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Riding the team bus to Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal on Sunday morning, Rays bench coach Rodney Linares turned to manager Kevin Cash to reflect on the previous day.

Linares had been looking forward to the Rays’ Dominican Republic Series exhibitions against the Red Sox, a chance to visit his home country and see family and friends while breaking up the monotonous rhythm of Spring Training. He had some thoughts about how it might go.

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The real deal still blew him away.

“It exceeded every expectation I had,” Linares said. “Personally, it was really emotional to watch the big league team play here.”

The Rays lost both games, as they dropped Sunday’s finale, 7-6, before traveling back to Port Charlotte, Fla. But leaving the country to play a special series in front of passionate fans -- a new setting for some players, literally home for many others -- provided a jolt the club likely won’t feel again until Opening Day.

“To be able to get that type of excitement and electricity that we got … in the crowd, you normally don't create that type of buzz in a Spring Training game,” Cash said. “I know I appreciate it. Our players appreciate it. It'll be interesting to see when we get back to Port Charlotte -- I don't know how we're going to be able to simulate that type of environment.”

Linares said Saturday’s crowd of 11,853 “felt like it was 25,000,” and Sunday afternoon brought more of the same from the 11,418 fans in attendance.

“I thought the atmosphere was awesome here. It was really cool to experience this,” said starter Aaron Civale, who allowed one run on three hits over 3 1/3 innings. “Just good energy. It was a nice little break in the middle of Spring Training, a little more of a competitive environment. It was good to test that out going into the season.”

That was one reason Civale asked pitching coach Kyle Snyder early in the offseason if he could take part in this trip. But there was an even more important motivating factor.

“I’ve played with so many teammates from the Dominican and other Latin cultures, and I’ve never been down here before,” Civale said. “I just thought it would be a unique experience to enter their world and kind of see that first-hand. It was awesome.”

That seemed to be the consensus from everyone involved, whether he had taken the field here before or never stepped foot in the country.

This was infielder Curtis Mead’s first trip to the Dominican, and he noted the energy inside the ballpark was “totally different.” Top prospect Junior Caminero, a popular figure among his hometown fans, asked to start both games. He spent all nine innings as the DH on Saturday then played all nine at third base Sunday.

“[Saturday] was a very unforgettable day for me. It was probably one of the best days I've had in my life,” Caminero said Sunday morning through interpreter Manny Navarro. “This is my country. I'll play 20 innings if I have to.”

“It was definitely a feeling I've never really had before, not even in the big leagues,” Amed Rosario, who had 15-20 guests at the ballpark each day, said through Navarro. “I think it was a dream come true. It's a great experience, and I think that's something that you take away with you.”

Around the horn
• Five Rays had two-hit days: Isaac Paredes, Caminero, Richie Palacios, Mead and Francisco Mejía. Palacios clubbed his second homer of the spring, while Mead pulled his first.

“To get the first one out of the way was pretty cool,” Mead said. “I felt great.”

• Nonroster right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa had a tough outing, allowing five runs on one hit and four walks while striking out four as he threw 51 pitches to record five outs.

• Randy Arozarena hit a one-out single to center in the first inning off Red Sox starter Garrett Whitlock, snapping an 0-for-17 start to Spring Training.

• With pitching coach Kyle Snyder back at Charlotte Sports Park, Rays pitchers got their work in this weekend. A group of relievers faced hitters, and Zack Littell and Tyler Alexander pitched well in a simulated game.

Up next
The Rays will return home to resume a more standard Spring Training routine Monday afternoon at Charlotte Sports Park. Top starter Zach Eflin will take the mound against the Blue Jays, followed by four members of Tampa Bay’s projected Opening Day bullpen: Shawn Armstrong, Chris Devenski, Colin Poche and Pete Fairbanks. This will be the first outing of the spring for Fairbanks and Poche.

First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET. The game will air on Bally Sports Sun and MLB.TV. A Rays Radio webcast will be available on MLB.com.