Well… at this point we could probably start just reposting the same recap for every home game the Rays play at the house of horrors some call George M. Steinbrenner Field. It would go something like this:
“Rays drop another game at home and fail to score behind just (Insert number hits less than 5) and a lackluster start from (Insert Starting Pitcher).”
That is exactly what happened Wednesday night as the Rays were shut out and lost by a score of 7-0. Again, they failed to get any offensive momentum going against a LHP and looked as if they were facing the second coming of Cy Young. They recorded just two hits. The Rays starting pitcher was Shane Baz, who after tossing two scoreless innings, surrendered a solo shot to Trea Turner in the third and imploded in the fourth and allowed five runs before being lifted for Cole Sulser.
And that was that… Phillies starter Christopher Sanchez, the former Rays prospect traded for Curtis Mead, was in control from the beginning and navigated the Rays lineup with ease. He allowed a two-out single to Junior Caminero in the first and walked three, but that was it. He was lifted after six shutout innings of work. He earned his fourth win of the year.
The only other Ray to record a hit was Yandy Diaz and that came in the eighth. It was also a single.
The Rays struck out 12 times. Mead led the way with three punch-outs. Morel, Caballero, and Simpson each had a pair as well.
Wednesday was just the latest iteration of the uninspired and dull baseball played by the Rays at home over the last 11 games. Over that span they are now 1-10 and the one win was a shocking walk-off against a Yankees team that out-played them for eight innings. On the year, they are now 9-15 at home and 5-13 over their last 18 home games. The loss dropped their record to 16-20 and 4.5 games back of the first place Yankees.
They will send Ryan Pepiot to the mound on Thursday to hopefully buck the disappointing recent trend. Unfortunately, they will face another southpaw, and a good one in Luzardo. Hopefully we won’t have to recycle this recap tomorrow.
