Diaz fouls a ball off the inside of his left foot./CHUCK MULLER
Tuesday, 3 a.m.
Did they fool you? Did you think they were for real? Did you think they could contend?
Back during those hot days of April, did you think the Tampa Bay Rays had the ability to last? Did you think they could hold off the Red Sox? Did you think they could play with the big spenders?
These days, it's hard to believe how good they were in those days, isn't it? The Rays, 14-4 through April 18, have come back to reality and, man, is it ugly. The Rays are just 43-40 over the last three months (and a couple of days), and after a 9-4 drubbing at the hands of the Red Sox, they lead Boston by just one game in a wild-card race where they have already been passed by Cleveland and Oakland.
The Rays suffered a seven-run third Monday, effectively ending this one early. The Red Sox hit three home runs in four batters in the inning. Meanwhile, they managed just two hits through seven innings against Eduardo Rodriguez.
Diaz is helped from the field after his injury./CHUCK MULLER
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Beeks gave up seven runs in the third./CHUCK MULLER
“The last at-bat kind of summed up the night," said Rays' manager Kevin Cash. "That’s kind of how I felt about it. Unfortunately Yandy (Diaz) took one. Now he’ll go get checked out by a doctor. Not too much went well for us today. Jalen looked really good coming out. Velo was up. And then Boston got to him. Hernandez starts
d'Arnaud had two more hits for the Rays./CHUCK MULLER
it off, a walk, and then they capitalize, capitalize, capitalize to really ruin an inning. Tough loss. We’ve got to bounce back and find a way to win tomorrow.”
The Rays are now 27-25 at home.
Jalen Beeks took the loss for the Rays, his first since coming to Tampa Bay last season. He was 5-0 this season.
"He was kind of spraying the ball around that inning. His first two innings he looked really crisp. In the zone. Then it seemed like the hit – something changed. I know he was fighting his mechanics a little bit. His body and trying to get everything in line and in order. Just wasn’t able to make the adjustment out on the mound.”
Mike Brosseau works an inning of relief on Monday night./CHUCK MULLER
Beeks said he has to be better.
“I just didn’t complete pitches as high of a tick that I would like to. They’re a good team. When you make a couple mistakes... they turn around and hit three home runs that inning. Just do a little better executing and keep battling.
“I didn’t feel anything mechanically. Just not executing pitches. In the end, I just go out and compete every day and win, lose or draw just try to get closer to the Lord and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Infielder Michael Brosseau finished the game on the mound for the Rays. He said he was not a two-way player.
Adames went 0-for-4 on Monday night./CHUCK MULLER
“I wouldn’t go that far, although this is the organization to do it in. Cash kind of asked me there in the 8th inning if I’ve ever pitched before. Told him I have twice in Low-A. They just asked me to throw strikes and hopefully get outs. Told him I was up for the challenge.
“I was trying to do a little bit of timing, disrupt it a little bit instead of just flipping over BP fastballs. I think I looked up once and I was in the 70s at one point. 75...I’ll take that. I think I’ve got the highest range of fastball difference in the league, so that’s good.”
The Rays and Red Sox play again tonight when Yonny Chirinos pitches against Chris Sale. The game will begin at 7:10 p.m. at Tropicana Field.
Zunino slides into home in Monday night's 9-4 loss./CHUCK MULLER
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