The Tampa Bay Rays (3-1) fell to the Oakland Athletics (1-3) 13-2 on Monday night at Tropicana Field.
Rays starter Luis Patiño (0-1, 13.50) got only two outs in the first inning before leaving the game with a left oblique strain. Rays manager Kevin Cash said afterwards he would be evaluated on Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury.
Chris Mazza came in with a runner on second, two outs and a 0-2 count on Sean Murphy - who he hit to put another runner on. From there the Athletics pounced on Mazza, as Seth Brown hit a three-run bomb and Chad Pinder hit a solo shot to give the Athletics an early 4-0 lead.
The As added four more runs in the second and one run in the fourth, all off Mazza, to take complete control of this game.
Tampa Bay did provide some entertainment value late, as outfielder Brett Phillips came into the game to pitch the final two innings. After getting three outs on just five pitched in the eighth, he made a tremendous defensive grab in the ninth that gave the fans at Tropicana Field something to be excited about. "If I don't win catch of the year for a pitcher I'm going to be highly disappointed," he told the media afterwards.
As entertaining as he was on the mound, Phillips did allow a grand slam to Sheldon Neuse which would give the As a 13-2 final margin.
The Rays got a run in the sixth on a Brandon Lowe fielders choice grounder that Wander Franco, and another in the eighth when Ji-Man Choi had a RBI single to drive in Franco.
Franco continued his tremendous start to the season, going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. He now has a .600 batting average (9-for-14) through the first four games of the season.
The Rays will look to bounce back on Tuesday night in the second game of a four game series. RHP Tommy Romero, filling in for the injured Ryan Yarbrough, is expected to make his major league debut, and be opposed by As RHP Adam Oliver, who will also be making his major league debut. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM - pregame coverage begins with Jay Recher and the Inside Pitch at 5:30 PM on 95.3 WDAE & AM 620.
PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES