Sometimes your team loses because the offense is stifled, and sometimes your team loses because the pitching isn’t great.
Today I’d say both offense and pitching were meh.
The Rays pitchers, together, gave up four runs, with two fourth inning solo homeruns off of Drew Rasmussen the difference makers. It’s still amazing to me that other teams are killing the Rays with home runs, whereas the Rays hitters don’t even seem to reach the warning track very often. Nevertheless.
The Rays were able to score two runs, both on small rallies. With eight hits (six were singles) and two walks, they certainly had opportunities for more runs, but double play balls and stranded runners meant there were no big innings.
On the positive side, Chandler Simpson, who had struggled a bit to get on base, had two doubles. Both could well have been doubles if hit by other players, but it’s still fun to watch him run the bases. The big question with him is not “will he make it to second base” but rather “will his momentum on the slide rocket him all the way into the outfield.”
Rasmussen pitched five innings and was responsible for three of the four runs. The bullpen covered the rest of the game, with five relievers combining for four 3-hit, one-run innings.
The Rays rallied later that inning, however. No balls leaving the park but Aranda, Misner and Jankowski had successive hits to tie the game, although the Rays stranded Misner and Jankowski at second and third, losing the opportunity to take the lead.