Tuesday, 4 a.m.
And suddenly, the Tampa Bay Rays cannot hit.
The Rays, fighting to stay above .500, have suddenly cooled off. Their recent hot streak has turned frigid.
For the second straight game, the Rays struggled to get on base. Following a six-hit (three of them in the ninth inning) effort against Toronto, the Rays had just three hits in a 5-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
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The Rays’ feeble offense let down young Taj Bradley, who started the game in dominating fashion. He retired the first nine batters he faced, eight of them by strikeout.
But in the fourth, he allowed a triple, a double and a home run to three of the first four batters he faced. In the fifth, he gave up another home run, an old problem of his. Boston batters were 0-9 against him the first time around but 5-9 the second time around.
Meanwhile, Boston’s Tanner Houck was even better. He went seven innings and gave up just three singles. The Rays beat Houck last week — although they scored just one earned run against him — but gave themselves no chance Monday night.
The Rays managed singles from Yandy Diaz, Josh Lowe and Jose Caballero. But they left only one man on base the entire game.
Rafael Devers and Ceddanne Rafaela both had homers for Boston.
The Rays play Boston again tonight at Tropicana Field at 6:50 p.m. Zack Littell will start for the Rays against Cooper Criswell.