Friday, 4 a.m.
Their bodies are headed toward the basement. But does anyone know where their heads are at?
The Rays played one of their sloppiest games of the year Thursday night, flubbing their way to their fourth straight defeat by a score of 7-4. In that four game slide, they have given up 33 runs, more than eight per game.
How bad was it?
-- The Rays made two errors.
-- They walked five batters.
-- They hit a batter.
-- They cost themselves a run when rookie Everson Pereira eased up crossing home. But catcher Nick Fortes was thrown out at third before Pereia touched the plate.
--They were 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
-- Joe Boyle (1-3) lasted just two innings. In his five starts,, he has reached the fifth inning only once.
-- Junior Caminero threw a potential double-play ball into right field.
The Rays' Chandler Simpson and Yandy Diaz each had two hits. Diaz hit his 21st home run.
At this point, it's easy to wonder if all the losing is weighing on this team's focus. They're only a game-and-a-half ahead of Baltimore now. They're a season-worst six games under .500.
The Rays will play the Cardinals again tonight at Steinbrenner Field at 7:35 p.m. Adrian Houser will start for the Rays against Miles Mikolas.