The Tampa Bay Rays opened up a homestand Tuesday night, after a long West Coast road trip, with a disappointing 4-2 lost to the Chicago White Sox. Rays starter Chris Archer pitched a strong seven innings striking out 11 batters & allowing just five hits. Unfortunately for Archer, two of those hits were solo home runs. White Sox batters hit three home runs vs Rays pitchers, all solo shots & also tacked on an unearned run in the eighth when first baseman Jose Abreu hit a two out RBI single off Rays reliever Tommy Hunter.
The game started with a bizarre twist when White Sox second baseman Yolmer Sanchez led off the game by hitting a flyball to centerfield that was initially ruled a home run by umpires after striking a ring atop the Tropicana Field dome. And after review of the play, replay officials upheld the original call. That home run gave Chicago the early 1-0 lead but the Rays came right back in the bottom of the first with a run on an RBI single by Evan Longoria.
After the first inning both teams struggled to put hits together, although the Rays loaded the bases in both the bottom of the fifth & sixth but failed to score in either inning. In the fifth first baseman Logan Morrison struckout to end the threat & catcher Jesus Sucre hit into an inning ending 4-6-3 double play to squash any chance to score in the sixth. And after the Rays blew those two chances to take a lead, Chicago jumped back on top 2-1 after rightfielder Avisail Garcia led off the seventh with a solo home run.
The Rays trailing 3-1 in the 8th did manage to make it a one run game after a sacrifice fly by catcher Jesus Sucre. But the deficit went back to two runs after White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier hit a solo home run off Rays reliever Ryan Garton to start the ninth inning.
The Rays, who left 11 men on base in the loss, try to end their four game losing streak Wednesday when these two teams play the second of the three game series. Coverage begins on 620 WDAE at 6pm with the Inside Pitch hosted by Steve Carney.