Friday, 4 a.m.

There are days you feel good about their chances. They will play well, or their opposition will play poorly, and you think that the Rays will be okay in their chase toward the American League East title.

And then there are days like Thursday. Days when the offense dries up and the pitching is wobbly. Days when you're sure the Rays are looking over their shoulders.

Thursday was a down day for the Rays, who lost a 6-0 game to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. In their last two games, the Rays have given up 16 runs and 23 hits.

The Rays lead in the AL East is now three games over the Yankees and 7 over the Red Sox.

Rangers' pitcher Cal Quantrill, a noted Rays' nightmare, went seven innings and allowed just two hits.

It was the eighth time the Rays have been shut out this season. Of their 57 losses this year, 23 of them have been by six runs or more.

The Rays managed just three hits against the Rangers, two of them by Yandy Diaz.

Shane McClanahan (10-7) started for the Rays. He gave up six hits and four earned runs in five innings.

The Rays and Rangers play again tonight at 8:05. Nick Martinez (13-4) will start for the Rays against Kumar Rocker (5-10).

Thursday, 4 a.m.

Days like this aren't supposed to happen in the middle of a pennant race.

The Tampa Bay Rays were smothered Wednesday night, getting blown out 10-4 by the New York Mets at Tropicana Field. The Mets are the last-place team in the NL East.

The Mets scored three runs in three different innings against the Rays. The first three-spot came in the first, when the Mets jumped on Rays' starter Griffin Jax, who was starting his first game in a month. Jax lasted only eight outs and gave up six earned runs.

The Rays came back to within 6-4 on Richie Palacios’ two-run homer in the fourth.

Chandler Simpson had two hits for the Rays.

Brett Baty had a bases-loaded double for the Mets.

The Rays next game is in Texas against the Rangers at 8:05 tonight. Shane McClanahan (10-6) will start for the Rays against Cal Quantrill (6-5).

Wednesday, 4 a.m.

Suddenly, Freddy Peralta is a star again. At least, he is shining a lot more often.

Peralta pitched his second straight strong game in a 6-2 victory over the New York Mets Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.

After giving up a leadoff home run to Francisco Lindor, Peralta rebounded to throw six innings of three-hit baseball. All three hits came in the first inning.

Peralta, pitching against the team that traded him to the Rays, improved his record to 7-11. It was enough to make critics rethink the trade evaluations that were unkind.

The Rays had 13 hits themselves, pulling away late. It was a 2-1 game going into the bottom of the sixth.

After Lindor's leadoff homer, Junior Caminero singled in Yandy Diaz in the bottom of the first. In the third inning, Ryan Vilade singled in Victor Mesa Jr.

In the sixth, Nick Fortes doubled in Chandler Simpson and Taylor Walls hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Fortes. Diaz then hit his 21st home run.

In the eighth, Vilade grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Mesa Jr.

The Mets' final run came on four walks in the seventh. Reliever Garrett Cleavinger gave up three of the walks.

The Rays left nine men on base and were just 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Mesa Jr., in his first game back since coming off the injured list, had three hits to lead the Rays. Diaz, Vilade, Caminero and Fortes all had two.

The Rays and Mets close out their series tonight at 6:40 at Tropicana Field. Griffin Jax (6-9) will start for the Rays against Justin Hagenman (0-0).