The Tampa Bay Rays keep hitting the ball a long way. They also keep having very little to show for it.
Take Tuesday night, when Tampa Bay got three home runs in its game against Seattle … which accounted for three runs. The Mariners, on the other hand, hit two out and scored five runs off it in a 6-4 victory.
It’s been that way all year. The Rays came into the game hitting .225, their worst to this point of the season by 10 full points. Yet, they have a club record 44 home runs. Of those homers, however, 32 have been solo shots. Tampa Bay has scored 61 of 108 runs via the home run.
Steve Pearce hit two homers for the Rays.
It has amassed too few runs for the Rays, who are now under .500 again (15-16) for the season. For instance, Tuesday night, the Rays had three home runs and only three other hits.
The Mariners scored three in the first and three more in the fourth for their win. Franklin Gutierrez hit a two-run homer, and Dae-Ho Lee hit a three-run homer to provide Seattle with its cushion.
Drew Smyly took the loss for the Mariners, allowing 10 hits and all six runs for the Rays.
The Rays have lost the first two games of the series. Chris Archer pitches for the Rays today to try to avoid the sweep.