Saturday, 3 a.m.
When things are going this badly, it just takes one mistake.
One error. One blown scoring opportunity. One home run allowed. And another loss.
That's what it' like for playing for the Tampa Bay Rays. One slip, and then comes the fall.
Take Friday night, for intance. The Rays lost again -- of course they did -- in a 3-0 decision against the New York Yankees. This time, the Rays managed all of one hit -- a single in the sixth inning by Jose Caballero -- and were shut out by New York for the third time this season (and fifth time overall).
Again, it took one mistake -- a gopher ball given up by Ryan Pepiot. Paul Goldschmidt it a home run to right field in the fifth inning to account for all three runs.
Rays' manager Keven Cash pulled Pepiot in favor of Msdon Montgomery with two runners on. Goldschmidt hit an 0-1 pitch out of the park.
The Rays were punchless against Max Fried, who allowed only one runner for the Rays to get into scoring position. He didn't score.
Fried is now 6-0 on the season. In two games against the Rays, he has pitched 14.2 innings and allowed just three hits and no runs.
The Rays have now lost four in a row. They're 14-18 on the season.
The Rays have lost five of six against New York this year.
The teams play again today at 1:05 p.m. Zack Littell will start for teh Rays against Clarke Schmidt.