Tampa Bay Devil Rays Host Cleveland, Boston and Oakland During the Longest Homestand of the Season

08/16/2007, ST. PETERSBURG -- The Tampa Bay Devil Rays open a ten-game homestand Friday, Aug. 17 against the Cleveland Indians. This will be the longest homestand of the season, as they will be home through Aug. 26. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays will also be hosting the Boston Red Sox for the second of three visits and the Oakland Athletics also stop by for their first and only stint at Tropicana Field. Homestand highlights include Bike Night tomorrow night; Disco Night on Saturday featuring Barry Williams (Greg Brady); and African American Heritage Night on Saturday, Aug. 25.

Friday, Aug. 17 the Rays will host Bike Night. The night's festivities will include a pre-game bike show, the Fabolous Knuckleheads performing pre-game at the Bike Night tailgate party in Lot 7, bike displays throughout the stadium, and 102.5 The Bone will give away a two-year lease on a bike pre-game. Bite Me beef jerky samples will be given out tailgate.

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Saturday, Aug. 18 the Rays will dial Tropicana Field back to the 1970's for Disco Night. Barry Williams, best known as Greg Brady of the Brady Bunch, will sign autographs pre-game from 5:10-6:10 p.m. in Centerfield Street then host a post-game concert and on-field dance party featuring Boogie Freaks. The Rays will also hold a fan costume contest with the grand prize winner receiving a pair of Whitney Bank Club tickets to a future Rays game.

Saturday, Aug. 25 the Rays will pay tribute with African American Heritage Night. The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Hall of Famer Monte Irvin. Irvin will also be signing autographs at the Ted Williams Museum on Saturday, Aug. 25 and Sunday, Aug. 26. The Museum is located in Centerfield Street at Tropicana Field. There will be a Negro League display from the Boys & Girls Club and Royal Theatre in the main concourse. The Original Family Stone, consisting of founding members of Sly and the Family Stone Jerry Martini, Rose Stone, Freddie Stone and Cynthia Robinson will be performing on field immediately after the Rays vs. Athletics game. Fans attending that evening's game are invited to stay and enjoy the free concert.

Upcoming Pitching Probables:

Friday CLE 7:10 p.m. RH Edwin Jackson vs. RH Paul Byrd
Saturday CLE 7:10 p.m. RH Jason Hammel vs. RH Jake Westbrook
Sunday CLE 1:40 p.m. RH James Shields vs. LH C.C. Sabathia

During the entire homestand:

• Rays Touch Tank, presented by St. Petersburg/Clearwater Convention and Visitors Bureau, will be open.
• All Military personnel with valid ID receive half price tickets in outfield every home game, (limit of eight tickets per ID)
• Dunkin' Donuts "Rays Win, You Win" promotion-fans can go to any Dunkin' Donuts location the day after a Rays win (at home or on the road) and receive a free donut by mentioning the Rays won the day/night before.
• Kane's 10 Strikeout Promotion-if the Rays get 10 strikeouts during a home game, fans can receive a coupon for a free Papa John's Pizza.
• Bay News 9 'You Make the Call' Contest (see below)

All games broadcast on: 1250 AM WHNZ (Tampa/St. Pete), 1220 AM WSRQ (Sarasota), 1080 AM WHOO (Orlando), 1480 AM WFLN (Arcadia), 1230 AM WONN (Lakeland), 1450 AM WWJB (Brooksville), 1060 AM WXIC (Melbourne), 1380 AM WELE (Daytona Beach), 770 AM WWCN (Ft. Myers), 1400 AM WXHR (Dade City), 99.5 FM WBXY (Gainesville), 1450 WSTU (Pt. St. Lucie), 1270 WNLS (Tallahassee), 1530 WENG (Englewood) and 680 WGES (Tampa/St. Pete in Spanish).

GATES OPEN: Monday thru Thursday one-and-a-half hours prior to game time and Friday thru Sunday two hours prior to game time.

TICKETS: Are available at the Tropicana Field Box Office, the Rays Tampa office located at 400 N. Tampa Street or by calling (813) 228-7157, on-line via www.devilrays.com, www.raysbeisbol.com, International Plaza's main Concierge desk, all Ticketmaster outlets and via Ticketmaster phone charge at (727) 898-RAYS and (813) 282-RAYS.

Source: MLB