Reds 6, Rays 3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Adam Dunn homered and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on Friday in the final game at Al Lang Field, the scenic waterfront site of exhibition games for more than eight decades.

The next time a major league game is played at this spot, it may well be the Rays' new regular-season home.

Owner Stuart Sternberg revealed plans last fall to replace Tropicana Field with a $450 million open-air ballpark here that partly would be paid for by the sale and development of the domed stadium that opened in 1990 -- eight years before the Rays played their first game.

Under current plans, the team would pay about a third of the cost of building the 34,000-seat stadium that would open on the Al Lang site in 2012.

This is the 83rd year baseball has been played on the site along the city's downtown waterfront, and Al Lang has been home to seven major league teams during that span: Boston Braves (1922-37), St. Louis Cardinals (1938-42; 1946-97); New York Yankees (1925-42, 1946-50; 1952-61); New York Giants (1952); New York Mets (1962-87); Baltimore Orioles (1993-95) and the Rays, the first club to hold spring training at home since the 1919 Cardinals and Philadelphia Athletics.

Tampa Bay will relocate to Port Charlotte, formerly the spring home of the Texas Rangers, next year.

Pregame festivities included a jet flyover from nearby MacDill Air Force Base and the unveiling of the All-Al Lang team selected by the Rays, a group that includes Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Lou Brock, Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson, Nolan Ryan, Ozzie Smith, Yogi Berra, Red Schoendiest, Whitey Ford, Steve Carlton and Cal Ripken Jr.

"I'm kind of a nostalgic freak," said Rays manager Joe Maddon, who took in his first game at Al Lang after hitchhiking to St. Petersburg from Tampa, where his college team was playing in the early 1970's.

"Believe me, you can't find a better setting for a spring training game to be played. For those who never had the chance to encounter it, it's two bad because this truly is the essence of spring training."

Jeff Keppinger went 3-for-5 and drove in one run for the Reds, who used the game continue preparing their bullpen for the season.

With Cincinnati's rotation set, closer Francisco Cordero started and allowed one run and two hits in one inning. The right-hander struck out two.

Matt Garza, Tampa Bay's No. 2 starter, yielded two runs and four hits in five innings. Reliever Al Reyes gave up Dunn's solo homer in the eighth.

Meanwhile, the Rays moved toward setting their opening-day roster.

Outfielder Rocco Baldelli (mitochondrial disorder) was placed on the 60-day disabled list. His spot was filled by outfielder Nathan Haynes, who was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels.

The team didn't officially make any other moves, however right-handed relievers Grant Balfour and Scott Munter, outfielders Chris Richard, Jon Weber and John Rodriguez, catcher Josh Paul and Mike DiFelice and infielder Andy Cannizaro were all told that they will not make the team.

The cuts won't be finalized until after Saturday's exhibition finale against the Reds in Sarasota.

"We're hold going to hold off on the specifics until we get through the game," Rays vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said, adding that injuries or other last-minute developments could force a change of plans.