What happened: The Tampa Bay Rays sent fans a Fourth of July greeting as the United States marked its 250th Independence Day. The holiday message landed with the club riding a nine-game winning streak and sitting at 52-33 on the season.
Why it matters: The Rays enter the holiday as one of baseball's hottest teams, having won nine straight, and fan enthusiasm is running high — supporters have been touting the club's record, young star Junior Caminero, and progress toward a new stadium and entertainment district aimed at keeping the team in Tampa. A scheduled holiday matchup in Houston gives the streaking Rays a chance to keep the celebration going.
By the numbers: Tampa Bay is 52-33 and has won five straight entering the day, part of a nine-game winning streak, scoring 4.6 runs per game while allowing 4.1. The Rays took Friday's series opener in Houston 3-1 over the 43-47 Astros. Saturday's game is listed with a total of 7.0.
What to watch: The Rays continue their holiday-weekend series in Houston on Saturday, looking to extend the nine-game winning streak to double digits.