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Wednesday, 4 a.m.
One hundred and sixty two games of prelude, and this is what you get?
The Tampa Bay Rays entered the post-season with a splat Tuesday. After all the moments, after all the memories, the Rays laid an egg in a 4-0 loss to the Texas Rangers. The Rays didn’t pitch, didn’t hit and didn’t field in a loss that brought back memories of the Hal McRae-coached Rays of the olden days.
Now, they face elimination against the Rangers today.
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The Rays committed four errors — and more could have been charged. They also misplayed a fly ball to center, failed to convert a simple groundout to second and threw a wild pitch. The Rays had never had a four-error game in the post-season.
They had just six hits, and they were one-for-six with runners in scoring position. They struck out 11 times.
In other words, the Rays never gave themselves a chance. They were home, facing a team that had flown in from Seattle, and they didn’t compete. There was no area of the game where they shined.
For most of the game, the Rays seemed to be blindfolded against Jordan Montgomery. He kept them guessing for most of the game. Randy Arozarena and Tyler Walls each had two hits.
"We didn't play a good clean baseball game by any stretch," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "We didn't hit, pitch, or defend. When you're going up against a good team, they're going to capitalize, and they eventually really did."
Starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow gave up six hits and three walks in five innings.
"(He) wasn't really sharp," Cash said. "He picked up his strikeouts because his stuff is so good, but I don't think he executed and commanded the baseball like he was hoping to. Texas did a good job of waiting him out, driving up the pitch count, and not really helping him.
Centerfielder Jose Siri struggled in his return. He had a chance to make a plat on a fly ball to center, but the ball ticked off his wrist. He had a throwing error that allowed a run.
"In that moment the ball is off the bat ... he's trying to get the best read and he's trying to do everything he can to catch the ball in the air," Cash said. "He kind of got in between and then it became a really tough play."
Cash said such games are easier for a team to put behind it.
"You're going to have them," Cash said. "Ideally you don't have them in the postseason, certainly in Game 1 when we know how pivotal winning that game is. But there is a lot of confidence in this group. Certainly in the guy on the mound in Zach Eflin that we can bounce back and play just a better baseball game."
The Rays will play the Rangers again today at 3:08 p.m. at Tropicana Field. Zach Eflin will start against Nathan Eovaldi.
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