Rays support Orlando with throwback hats on sold-out Pride Night

Tampa Bay stands with Orlando.

On Friday, less than a week after a gunman massacred 49 people and injured dozens more at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, there wasn't an empty seat in the house for Pride Night at Tropicana Field - the Tampa Bay Rays' only sellout since Opening Day.

Earlier this week, the Rays pledged 100 percent of the proceeds from Friday's series opener to the Pride Victims Fund, and the response was so great that the club was forced to roll back the tarps covering the upper-deck seats to accommodate all the fans who wanted to show their support for the LGBT community.

"We are grateful for and proud of the region's response to our Pride Night dedication," Rays president Brian Auld told MLB.com's Bill Chastain. "In the wake of a terrible tragedy, and in a matter of hours, 40,000 people have chosen to come together, to stand side by side in a show of support for the victims, their families, the city of Orlando, and the greater LGBT community."

The home club also sported some throwback caps on an emotional night at the ballpark, with Tampa Bay rocking Orlando Rays hats - a throwback to their short-lived Southern League affiliate - that will be autographed and auctioned off after the game.

Ahead of their matchup with the San Francisco Giants, the Rays observed a moment of silence for the victims, as well, before having Billy Bean - the former MLB outfielder who came out in 1999 and now serves as the league's vice-president for social responsibility - throw out the ceremonial first pitch.