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TAMPA — This is how bad it is going for the Rays.
They got a strong start from Ryan Pepiot. They got a couple of big hits and some runs from an offense that had been struggling mightily. They took a four-run lead into the eighth inning Thursday night with their top relievers lined up and the chance to at least pause the talk about their struggles at Steinbrenner Field.
And they somehow ended up with another frustrating — and historic — loss.
The 7-6, 10-inning defeat by the Phillies marked the first time in the Rays’ 28-season franchise history that they lost a home game when leading by four or more runs after seven innings.
Ever.
“Yeah,” Pepiot said, “it’s a tough one.”
The Rays had actually done a lot right to get to the eighth with the 5-1 lead.
Pepiot allowed one run over six strong innings. Junior Caminero hit a solo homer in the first. Taylor Walls helped manufacture a go-ahead run in the third. Yandy Diaz hit a three-run homer in the seventh.
“Definitely felt very good,” manager Kevin Cash said.
But then they did a lot wrong.
Edwin Uceta gave up a three-run homer with two outs in the eighth. Pete Fairbanks made an errant pickoff throw — to fill-in first baseman Junior Caminero — in the ninth that set up the tying run. Manny Rodriguez gave up a first-pitch double and a one-out single that scored the decisive runs in the 10th.
“We like to win when they give us five,” Fairbanks said. “It’s a little frustrating. I let my frustrations out in a very healthy manner. We’ll be back. We’ll be back at it. I think that we showed some positive signs. And if I don’t throw a ball off the padding there, it could be a different story.”
Instead, it was the story of another damning loss, as the Rays dropped to 16-21, the five games under .500 matching the low-water mark of last season.
More topical, they extended their dismal home performance to seven straight losses, 11 in their last 12 games and 16 of 25 overall. That stretch included being swept in back-to-back home series for the first time since 2011.
Also, they lost a ninth straight to the Phillies, who had plenty of support among the sellout crowd of 10,046.
After a shaky start to the season, the Rays bullpen had been better of late, and they had reason to be confident of closing it out.
Uceta had two outs and a runner on first in the eighth when he gave up a single to No. 9 hitter Brandon Marsh, then a 409-foot homer to Bryson Stott on a 1-2 four-seam fastball.
“It was pitch that I wanted to throw,” said Uceta via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “He’s a good hitter. He’s a contact hitter, too. I didn’t think he was going to try to hit the ball out of the ballpark.”
The Phillies nearly tied it that inning, when Trea Turner rocketed a ball off leftfielder Christopher Morel’s glove at the top of the wall. It ended up a double, and rookie Mason Montgomery got a huge out to retire Bryce Harper.
But the Rays gave up the lead in the ninth as a result of the errant pickoff throw.
Having pinch-run for first baseman Jonathan Aranda when he singled to open the eighth — using Travis Jankowski to steal second in a bid to stretch the lead from one to two, but didn’t get home — the Rays didn’t have a lot of choices to play first.
There was Brandon Lowe, who has minimal experience; Yandy Diaz, which would mean giving up the DH with only one bench player (Ben Rortvedt) left; or shift Caminero, who has done some work there (playing one game at the position in the majors and 10 in the minors), and upgrade the defense at third with Jose Caballero.
Fairbanks created the situation by allowing a leadoff single to Kyle Schwarber, who was replaced by speedy Johan Rojas. Fairbanks, who typically doesn’t pay much attention to runners on base, evidenced by his one career pickoff, knew this run mattered immensely.
“Rojas is like the second-fastest person around, besides the guy over there in our locker room (Chandler Simpson),” Fairbanks said. “So in that situation you know they’re going and you’re trying to keep them there, and put yourself in a little bit better spot. ... Rather have him at first, he ended up at third. It is what it is.”
He threw over once, and Rojas got back. Then he decided to try again, and the ball caromed off Caminero’s glove.
“I tried to do my best, and I couldn’t get the ball,” said Caminero via Rodriguez.
Rojas raced to third and scored on a infield grounder to tie it.
Fairbanks took the blame: “A first baseman’s a first baseman. If I make a throw that they can’t handle, that’s on me.”
That wasn’t the end, but it seemed like it.
The Phillies got two quick runs in the top of the 10th on hits by Marsh andTurner off Rodriguez. The Rays got one back on a two-out single by Danny Jansen, and kept their hopes alive when Simpson singled. But with two on, Caballero struck out.
“It’s frustrating, but it’s not going to be the first or the last time,” Uceta said. “We just have to continue to attack the hitters and just try to win ball games.”
• • •
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They got a strong start from Ryan Pepiot. They got a couple of big hits and some runs from an offense that had been struggling mightily. They took a four-run lead into the eighth inning Thursday night with their top relievers lined up and the chance to at least pause the talk about their struggles at Steinbrenner Field.
And they somehow ended up with another frustrating — and historic — loss.
The 7-6, 10-inning defeat by the Phillies marked the first time in the Rays’ 28-season franchise history that they lost a home game when leading by four or more runs after seven innings.
Ever.
“Yeah,” Pepiot said, “it’s a tough one.”
The Rays had actually done a lot right to get to the eighth with the 5-1 lead.
Pepiot allowed one run over six strong innings. Junior Caminero hit a solo homer in the first. Taylor Walls helped manufacture a go-ahead run in the third. Yandy Diaz hit a three-run homer in the seventh.
“Definitely felt very good,” manager Kevin Cash said.
But then they did a lot wrong.
Edwin Uceta gave up a three-run homer with two outs in the eighth. Pete Fairbanks made an errant pickoff throw — to fill-in first baseman Junior Caminero — in the ninth that set up the tying run. Manny Rodriguez gave up a first-pitch double and a one-out single that scored the decisive runs in the 10th.
“We like to win when they give us five,” Fairbanks said. “It’s a little frustrating. I let my frustrations out in a very healthy manner. We’ll be back. We’ll be back at it. I think that we showed some positive signs. And if I don’t throw a ball off the padding there, it could be a different story.”
Instead, it was the story of another damning loss, as the Rays dropped to 16-21, the five games under .500 matching the low-water mark of last season.
More topical, they extended their dismal home performance to seven straight losses, 11 in their last 12 games and 16 of 25 overall. That stretch included being swept in back-to-back home series for the first time since 2011.
Also, they lost a ninth straight to the Phillies, who had plenty of support among the sellout crowd of 10,046.
After a shaky start to the season, the Rays bullpen had been better of late, and they had reason to be confident of closing it out.
Uceta had two outs and a runner on first in the eighth when he gave up a single to No. 9 hitter Brandon Marsh, then a 409-foot homer to Bryson Stott on a 1-2 four-seam fastball.
“It was pitch that I wanted to throw,” said Uceta via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “He’s a good hitter. He’s a contact hitter, too. I didn’t think he was going to try to hit the ball out of the ballpark.”
The Phillies nearly tied it that inning, when Trea Turner rocketed a ball off leftfielder Christopher Morel’s glove at the top of the wall. It ended up a double, and rookie Mason Montgomery got a huge out to retire Bryce Harper.
But the Rays gave up the lead in the ninth as a result of the errant pickoff throw.
Having pinch-run for first baseman Jonathan Aranda when he singled to open the eighth — using Travis Jankowski to steal second in a bid to stretch the lead from one to two, but didn’t get home — the Rays didn’t have a lot of choices to play first.
There was Brandon Lowe, who has minimal experience; Yandy Diaz, which would mean giving up the DH with only one bench player (Ben Rortvedt) left; or shift Caminero, who has done some work there (playing one game at the position in the majors and 10 in the minors), and upgrade the defense at third with Jose Caballero.
Fairbanks created the situation by allowing a leadoff single to Kyle Schwarber, who was replaced by speedy Johan Rojas. Fairbanks, who typically doesn’t pay much attention to runners on base, evidenced by his one career pickoff, knew this run mattered immensely.
“Rojas is like the second-fastest person around, besides the guy over there in our locker room (Chandler Simpson),” Fairbanks said. “So in that situation you know they’re going and you’re trying to keep them there, and put yourself in a little bit better spot. ... Rather have him at first, he ended up at third. It is what it is.”
He threw over once, and Rojas got back. Then he decided to try again, and the ball caromed off Caminero’s glove.
“I tried to do my best, and I couldn’t get the ball,” said Caminero via Rodriguez.
Rojas raced to third and scored on a infield grounder to tie it.
Fairbanks took the blame: “A first baseman’s a first baseman. If I make a throw that they can’t handle, that’s on me.”
That wasn’t the end, but it seemed like it.
The Phillies got two quick runs in the top of the 10th on hits by Marsh andTurner off Rodriguez. The Rays got one back on a two-out single by Danny Jansen, and kept their hopes alive when Simpson singled. But with two on, Caballero struck out.
“It’s frustrating, but it’s not going to be the first or the last time,” Uceta said. “We just have to continue to attack the hitters and just try to win ball games.”
• • •
Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.
Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.
Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.
Continue reading...
