Thursday, 4 a.m.
The teams that make the baseball playoffs win games like this. They talk about comebacks and resolve and determination.
The teams that don’t … remember. They talk about missed opportunities and bad bounces.
The Rays came close to coming from behind in Wednesday night's 6-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Isn't that what the losers do? Talk about coming close?
The Rays railied from a 6-1 deficit and had runners on second and third with one out in the ninth with two of their best hitters up...and failed. They lost to Chicago -- worst in the American League -- and fell to five games behind in the Wild Card race.
The Rays threatened in the ninth when Hunter Feduccia and Tristan Gray walked and were bunted to second and third. But Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe both struck out to end the game.
The Rays were just one-for-six with runnesr in scoring position.
The Rays were scheduled to start Ryan Pepiot, but he was given the night off because he has thrown too many innings. Instead, the Rays used the starter strategy and fell behind quickly.
Reliever Mason Montgomery -- the team's second pitcher of the night -- was awful for the second straight night. He got only two men out. Ge gave up five hits and a walk and gave up five runs.
The Rays homered their way back into the game. Junior Caminero hit his 42nd. Yandy Diaz hit his 23rd. Carson Williams hit his third.
The Rays and White Sox wrap up their series today at 2:10 p.m. at Rate Field. Ian Seymour will start for the Rays against Shane Smith.