Monday, 4 a.m.
It wasn't just that Tampa Bay was out pitched on Sunday. They were. It didn't matter that they were outhit. They were.
The worst thing was this: They got out-Rayed.
Toronto pitcher Robbie Ray made the Rays look silly, carving them up as the Blue Jays smothered Tampa Bay, 3-1. Perhaps someone forgot to tell the Rays' hitters that the all-star break doesn't begin until today.
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Ray took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and struck out 11. After seven innings, he allowed just one hit and one walk.
"We really wanted to find a way to win that one, but Robbie Ray and the Blue Jays had other plans," said Rays' manager Kevin Cash. "Even from the side, he had a really electric fastball that he commanded so well. He did show more of a slider today. Probably, that benefited him because we had just seen him a week ago. He was really really tough. You understand why it was a tough day for our offense."
The Rays didn't get a hit until Yandy Diaz' double in the seventh. They had two hits in the ninth -- including Brandon Lowe's 21st home run, but the game was never in doubt.
"He's seeing the ball really well," Cash said, "He’s taking good swings and he’s picking us up. It's pretty special what he has put together in the last three weeks."
For the game, Diaz had two of the Rays three hits and their only walk.
The Rays' Rich Hill, 6-4, gave up three earned runs in five innings to take the loss. The Rays bullpen has now gone 22 straight innings without giving up a run.
The Rays now have four days off for the all-star break. They return to action on Friday, July 16, at 7:20 p.m. in Atlanta.