The Tampa Bay Rays again spotted their opponent a three-run lead early before trying to mount a comeback. Ji-Man Choi and Yandy Diaz each provided RBI doubles, but the Rays could not get Friday night’s game back even, falling 3-2 to the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Drew Rasmussen became the first Tampa Bay starter to work through the fifth inning, but found himself down early in the second inning when Gavin Sheets doubled to right, moved to third on a groundout by Leury Garcia, and scored on a wild pitch.
Jake Burger made it 2-0 an inning later with a solo shot off Rasmussen, his first of the season, and added a second RBI in the fifth with a base hit that brougt in Garcia.
Rays hitters struggled against White Sox starter Dylan Cease, managing just three hits in the first five innings. Cease walked Brandon Lowe to start the sixth, and after a flyout by Wander Franco and a strikeout of Randy Arozarena, Tony LaRussa decided to go to the bullpen and bring in Aaron Bummer to face Ji-Man Choi. The Tampa Bay first baseman got the Rays on the board with a double off the left-center field wall, then scored on a double by Yandy Diaz.
But pinch-hitter Mike Zunino would fly out to end the inning, and Tampa Bay would also strand a runner in scoring position in the seventh, the last time they would get a runner on base.
The loss drops the Rays back to 4-4 on the season, the first time Tampa Bay has been at .500 this year. They’ll look to end their losing streak Saturday afternoon, as Corey Kluber (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the start against Mochael Kopech (0-0, 2.25 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 2:10.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
