Tampa Bay Rays Return To Tropicana Field Friday; Donate Funds To Hurricane Irma Victims

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - The Tampa Bay Rays return home to Tropicana Field on Friday following the relocation of the three-game series against the New York Yankees to Citi Field due to Hurricane Irma. The Rays host the Boston Red Sox and the defending World Series Champion Chicago Cubs in a five game homestand.

Fans wishing to donate money to benefit the victims of Hurricane Irma in the Tampa Bay area may do so at youcaring.com/RaysIrmaRelief.

As previously announced, fans holding tickets to the relocated Rays-Yankees games (Sept. 11-13) may exchange them for an equivalent number of complimentary tickets to any one of the Red Sox games (Sept. 15-17) or Baltimore Orioles games (Sept. 29-October 1). When electing to exchange tickets to any of those games, the Rays will donate the value of the exchanged Yankees series tickets to a local Hurricane Irma Relief fund in the name of the ticket purchaser. Refunds are also available upon request. For details, see visit raysbaseball.com/irma.

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Watch: Hurricane Irma's Destructive Journey By The Numbers

The weekend series with the AL East-leading Red Sox begins on Friday at 7:10 p.m., when the Rays hold their Roberto Clemente Day celebration to honor the life and career of the Hall of Famer as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria will be honored in a pregame ceremony as the club's Roberto Clemente Award nominee. As a special offer for this game, fans can purchase Press Level tickets for $21 online at raysbaseball.com/Clemente.

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To continue Clemente's legacy, the Rays will host the Feeding Tampa Bay Food Drive, supported by First Class Moving, all weekend. All fans who donate unopened cans and non-perishable food items will receive a voucher for two complimentary tickets to a 2018 Rays home game (some exclusions apply). Items of greatest need include canned, ready-to-eat items with pull-tops (vegetables or fruit); protein in pouches or pull-top cans (tuna, beef stew, chili, canned chicken); snacks (protein bars, granola bars); peanut butter; toiletries, paper goods, diapers; and cleaning supplies (mops, mop buckets, brooms, bleach wipes, bleach, garbage bags, bug spray). Donations can be dropped off to collection areas outside of Gate 1, inside Gate 1 and inside Gate 3.

Rays season ticket-holders will also have a special collection area inside the Republic Bank Draft Room. Season ticket-holders who donate in the Draft Room will receive Rays Rewards Points.

After an off-day on Monday, the homestand concludes with a two-game set against the Cubs. The Cubs will be making only their second ever trip to Tropicana Field. The series begins with a 7:10 p.m. start on Tuesday and concludes on Wednesday, September 20, also at 7:10 p.m.

Patch file photo