ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Held to one hit through eight innings, but with the potential winning run at the plate in the person of Wander Franco with two outs in the ninth, the Rays made it interesting. Alas, as has been the case in recent weeks, they could not get the key hit at the key moment.
Baltimore closer Felix Bautista struck out Franco, and the Rays fell to the Orioles, 5-3, Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field.
The Rays (61-42) lost three of four in a much-anticipated series among top teams in the American League. They fell two games behind Baltimore (61-38) and are four back in the loss column. Tampa Bay dropped to an AL-worst 4-14 in July and have lost eight of their last 10 at the Trop.
“I am guessing every guy in (the clubhouse) right now is feeling a sense of urgency wanting to contribute and wanting to have that big swing that gets it going,” said manager Kevin Cash, whose team is hitting .208 this month. “It’s just not coming right now.”
The Rays’ lone hit through eight innings – they finished with three — was a two-run homer by Yandy Diaz, his career-high equaling 14th in the fifth inning that tied the game at three. Baltimore got what proved to be a game-winning homer from Ryan O’Hearn in the sixth before tacking on another run in the seventh.
The Rays had plenty of opportunities thanks to uncharacteristic wildness by Orioles righthanded starter Tyler Wells, who walked four and hit two batters in 4 1/3 innings. He walked three batters in the fourth, but the Rays could only manage a single run on a groundout by Brandon Lowe, which made it 3-1.
“We had some good at-bats early on against Wells,” said Cash. “We just couldn’t find a way to get that big hit. I’d like to think we could get some better at-bats collectively to put a little more pressure on pitchers.”
After a day off Monday, the Marlins are at the Trop for a two-game visit. Miami lost its first eight games following the all-star break before defeating the Rockies on Sunday afternoon in 10 innings.
Tyler Glasnow (3-3, 3.62) gets the start Tuesday night (6:40) against Edward Cabrera (5-5, 4.50). Wednesday afternoon (12:10) will see Zach Eflin (11-5, 3.36) take the mound against Sandy Alcantara (3-9, 3.70).
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