A rainbow appears over Charlotte Sports Park following Tampa Bay's 7-2 win over the Minnesota Twins Sunday.  Photo by Steve Carney

by Steve Carney

David Price was near-perfect for three innings, and Kelly Johnson's two-run double in the fifth broke a 1-1 tie, as the Tampa Bay Rays won their second straight spring game with a 7-2 decision over the Minnesota Twins Sunday in Port Charlotte.

Price allowed just one hit, a two-out single to Rey Olmedo in the third inning, while striking out five Minnesota hitters.

Twins starter Mike Pelphrey was almost as sharp, with a first-inning double by Evan Longoria and a third-inning walk to Desmond Jennings the only blemishes on his record.

Minnesota got on the board first, as Steve Dozier led off the fourth with a double off Jamey Wright.  He went to third on a passed ball by Jose Lobaton, and scored on an RBI single by Trevor Plouffe.

Tampa Bay knotted it up in their half of the fourth, thanks to consecutive two-out singles by Yunel Escobar, pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot, and James Loney.

The Rays took the lead an inning later, as Sam Fuld and Desmond Jennings each singled off Jared Burton to start the inning, and both came around on Johnson's double.  After Longoria flied out to center to move Johnson to third base, Matt Joyce brought him in with a double down the rightfield line to make it 4-1.

Chris Gimenez extended the lead in the sixth, as his sacrifice fly brought in Wil Myers, who tripled one batter earlier for a 5-1 lead.

Gimenez caps Tampa Bay's scoring in the eighth, as his two-run homer made it a 7-1 Rays lead.

Felipe Rivero allowed a run on back-to-back doubles by Eric Fryer and Mark Sobolewski, but retired the next three hitters to end the game.

Joel Peralta and Jake McGee each had scoreless innings of relief, while J.D. Martin threw two scoreless frames.

Tampa Bay will travel south to Fort Myers each of the next two days, starting with Monday's matchup against the Boston Red Sox.  Jeremy Hellickson is scheduled to start against Felix Doubront, with first pitch scheduled for 1:35.

SCOTT HAS HAMSTRING ISSUE: Designated hitter Luke Scott was lifted in the fourth inning with tightness in his left hamstring as a precautionary measure, according to the team.

"I worked my legs pretty hard this week," Scott said afterward.  "I've had stuff like this many times before.  I'm not worried."