T
hursday, 4 a.m.
Jose Caballero didn’t hit it far enough.
Yandy Diaz didn’t hit it deeply enough.
Garrett Cleavinger didn’t shut the door firmly enough.
For the Tampa Bay Rays, it was that kind of day. A lot of little things went the wrong way, allowing the Texas Rangers to capture a 4-1 victory over the Rays. After seven home games, the Rays are 3-4 and struggling for consistency.
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In this one, they were flummoxed by Texas (and former Rays’) pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, who shut them out for seven innings, giving up just four hits. The Rays made a bit of a run against the Rangers’ bullpen — getting four hits and their run — but couldn’t get the big hit.
Caballero came close. He hit a fly ball to the warning track with two men on in the ninth. But Leody Tavarez made the play.
In the eighth, down 1-0, Diaz flew out to right. It was too short to score Curtis Mead from third, however.
In the ninth, Cleavinger struggled, giving up five hits and three runs as the Rangers ran away.