Tuesday, 4 a.m.
The Chicago night was cold. Compared to the bats of the Tampa Bay Rays, however, it was positively balmy.
The Rays lost for the sixth time in 11 games Monday night, losing a 4-2 game to the Chicago Cubs in the late-going. The Rays wasted a six-inning start by Shane McClanahan, who struck out nine before leaving a tie game.
The Rays, in familiar fashion, struggled to hit again against the Cubs. They had just six hits, and after the sixth inning, they had none. The Rays started six players who are hitting less than .200.
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In 11 games, the Rays have had eight hits or fewer in eight games.
The bullpen, in two innings, allowed three hits, a hit batter and two runs.
“Our relievers have done a really nice job," said Rays' manager Kevin Cash. "(Jason Adams) has been good for us. The ball just kind of got away from him a couple of times. We can dwell on that inning and that’s fine, but there were many opportunities that we had before that we could have capitalized on."
Said Adam: “Even before the hit by pitch you could tell i wasn’t landing my pitches like I hoped to.I think I was getting a little big and trying to do too much instead of trusting my stuff.”
The Rays played without shortstop Wander Franco, who had tightness in a quad. Cash said he should be ready to go in tonight's game.
"Sanahan was awesome," Cash said. "Mac is doing some special things in his first three games. He gave us every opportunity."
The Rays play the Cubs again tonight at Wrigley. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:40 p.m.