With six losses in their last eight games, the Tampa Bay Rays find themselves a half-step away from last place in the American League East.
The Rays moved to within a half-game of the cellar-dwelling Boston Red Sox following a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles. Tampa Bay is now six games under .500 at 71-77.
The Rays scored in the first inning to tie the game at one, but they didn’t cross the plate again. They were 0-for-nine with runners in scoring position.
Pitcher Erasmo Ramirez pitched seven innings and gave up nine hits in absorbing the loss. Wei-Yin Chen got the win for Baltimore.
Centerfielder Adam Jones knocked in both Baltimore runs. He had two hits and Chris Davis had three for the Orioles. Richie Shaffer knocked in the lone Tampa Bay run with a double in the first.
The Rays are 31-47 since they were 40-30.
Today, Jake Odorizzi pitches against Kevin Gausman in a 1:10 p.m. start.
