Wednesday, 4 a.m.
The hot start is just a memory now. The Tampa Bay Rays continue to lead the AL East, but their days of dominance seem to have ended. They are still good on occasion, but you can no longer count on it.
The latest reminder of the cooling of the Rays came Tuesday, when the Rays offered little resistance to Philadelphia in a 3-1 loss.
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Phillies’ starter Aaron Nola smothered the Rays, racking up 12 strikeouts in his 7 1/3 innings. Zach Eflin was almost as good, allowing only four hits and two earned runs in his seven innings.
The Rays have lost three in a row, and nine of their last 14. They’re just 17-13 since the first of June. The Rays were just one-for-seven with runners in scoring position, and that one hit didn’t result in a run.
Shortstop Wander Franco had a good day for the Rays with a single and a home run, which accounted for the only Tampa Bay run. Franco did have his seventh error, however. Franco was named to the American League All-Star team as an injury replacement.
The Rays and Phillies play again tonight at 6:40 p.m. at Tropicana Field. The Rays have not announced a starter, but the Phillips will start Taijuan Walker.