Wednesday, 4 a.m.
Another game, another loss, another step toward last place.
Yeah, the Tampa Bay Rays are feeling a little ill these days.
The Rays lost for the seventh time in eight games Tuesday night, falling 3-0 to the Oakland A’s. The Rays are now 26-29 and within a game for the last-place Toronto Blue Jays
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in the AL East race.
It took just one swing for the A’s to get their three runs. In the sixth inning, Miguel Andujar hit a three-run homer for the game’s only runs. Andujar hit his first homer of the year after Max Schuemann reached on an error and J.J. Bleday walked.
It foiled a strong starting effort by Zack Littell. Littell went seven innings and struck out nine. He gave up five hits.
Meanwhile, the Rays’ hitters had a terrible night, getting only three hits (one of them a bloop single by Jose Caballero and another an infield hit by Randy Arozarena).
It was the second straight game the Rays were no-hit through five innings, this time by Mitch Spence, who made his third start of the season. The Rays had only one man get into scoring position as they were shut out for the third time this season.
The Rays and A’s play again at 6:50 p.m. tonight at Tropicana Field. Ryan Pepiot will start for the Rays against Joe Estes.