Thursday, 4 a.m.
They would have you believe that it was just an off night. But then, haven't too many nights been off for the Tampa Bay Rays?
They use words like aberration, like uncharacteristic. Then they go out and do it again.
And again.
The Rays were hammered again Wednesday night at Tropicana Field, 6-2 by Chicago, and it went the way too many nights have gone for the Rays.
Were their three errors a fluke? No. It was the third time this season the Rays had committed three errors in one game. The Rays lead the majors in most errors with 14.
Were the six runs allowed a one-off? No. The Rays have now allowed six or more runs in eight games this year. The Rays are 27th in the league in most runs allowed.
This time, the culprit was the fifth inning. The Rays entered the inning in a 1-1 tie, but then came the sloppiness. The Rays gave up five runs, three hits, two walks and committed three errors in the inning.
Starting pitcher Joe Boyle had given up just two hits before the fifth, but he ended up giving up five earned runs on four hits.
For the Rays, Jonathan Aranda had two of the team's five hits.
The Rays are off today, then host the New York Yankees at Tropicana for three games starting Friday at 7:10 p.m. Steven Matz will start for the Rays against Max Fried.