The Tampa Bay Rays (11-12) fell to the Oakland As (15-8) 2-1 on Monday night at Tropicana Field.
The Rays got their lone run of the game on an Austin Meadows sacrifice fly in the first. The A's got all the offense they would need when Sean Murphy hit a two run bomb following a Matt Chapman walk in the fourth inning to give Oakland a 2-1 lead.
Rich Hill (1-1, 7.25) pitched his best game of the year but took the loss, allowing the two earned runs on two hits in six innings of work while striking out ten and walking two.
The Rays look to bounce back in game two of the four game series against the As on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM with pregame coverage beginning with Jay Recher and the Inside Pitch at 6 on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES