This time, there was no comeback. This time, there was no close-out.
This time, the Tampa Bay Rays lost.
The Rays had a four-game winning streak snapped in a 5-3 loss to the Texas Rangers Friday night, a rare game in that they didn’t come from behind to win, as they have done 24 times, and they didn’t have their bullpen star late in the game, as in most of their victories.
Hard-throwing pitcher Jake McGee entered with a 3-3 tie, but he gave up two runs to take the loss. Josh Hamilton knocked the winning run home with a sacrifice fly on an 0-2 count, and three other Rangers had singles as Texas pulled the game out. Delino DeShields had tied the game in the seventh on his first home run against reliever Steve Geltz.
Four of the last five games the Rays have lost have been charged to either McGee or Brad Boxberger, although to be fair, the bullpen has been very good during the team’s recent winning streak.
The Rays outhit the Rangers 12-6, with half of their hits going to the red-hot Asdrubal Cabrera, who had three, and freshly returning Desmond Jennings, who also had three. Cabrera is hitting .500 (27-for-54) since July 28.
The Rays also got a break when centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier leaped above the fence to rob Prince Fielder of a home run in the fifth.
Chris Archer starts for the Rays today and will again attempt to win his personal best 11th game. He faces the Rangers’ Colby Lewis.
