'Intensity is up' after Rays’ skid grows to 4

The Rays were one of the preseason favorites to make a deep run in the American League, but after their fourth straight defeat -- a 5-4 loss in 11 innings to the Orioles on Saturday at Camden Yards -- Tampa Bay is now left looking for answers.

Typically, starting a season with a 4-5 record is hardly reason to panic. But in a 60-game sprint, every loss and every losing streak is magnified -- even after nine games.

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The way the Rays are losing games -- and to whom they’re losing games to -- is also raising the level of concern.

“I do think there were some encouraging things that we pieced together an inning, but at the end of the day, we need to find a way to start winning some games, and better yet, separating games,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash. “We’re just not able to piece together any big innings, for whatever reason.”

Tampa Bay’s offense struggled against Baltimore starter Wade LeBlanc, who allowed just one run over 5 1/3 innings. The offense was able to fight back, which was the positive Cash took from Saturday’s game, scoring three runs to tie it in the eighth inning. But the effort ultimately fell short as the Orioles walked it off on a Pat Valaika RBI single off Chaz Roe in the 11th.

Saturday’s slow offensive start continued the latest trend for the Rays. With four runs, the lineup has been held to 12 runs over its past four games. Tampa Bay came into Saturday’s game with a team batting average of .215, ranked 24th in baseball. Of Rays players with at least 20 at-bats, seven are hitting .200 or under.

“We’re going through this stretch right now where it’s tough getting everything going for us offensively,” said center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, who capped the eighth-inning rally with an RBI single. “Our pitchers have done a great job, but we have struggled with the bats and trying to get momentum going. Timely hitting hasn’t been there. It’s frustrating, but that’s what happens throughout the course of the season.”

Though Tampa Bay believes the offense will come around over the next few days, the defense has been another area of concern -- one of the most surprising developments of the young but still evolving season. And the fact that Willy Adames and Kiermaier -- two of the top defenders on the team -- are right in the middle of the woes is even more cause for worry.

With Adames committing his fourth error of the season on Saturday, the Rays lead the AL with 10. They have committed two or more errors in four of their last six games, and at least one in six of the last seven.

Baserunning issues have also played a role, especially on Saturday. Ji-Man Choi was thrown out at third base as he tried to tag up on a Yoshi Tsutsugo flyout at the beginning of the 10th inning. An inning later, Kiermaier was doubled up at second base on a Manuel Margot lineout.

“The intensity is up. The pressure is probably mounting day by day, inning by inning that we’re not getting it done,” Cash said. “We have guys that really care a lot and want to do a lot, but sometimes that doesn’t always work in our favor.”

Overall, there were some positives the Rays can take from Saturday’s loss. Tyler Glasnow, who allowed two runs and struck out five in 4 2/3 innings, continues to look healthy. Diego Castillo and Nick Anderson each tossed a flawless inning, proving why they’re one of the best late-inning combos in the league.

The Rays still have 51 games to turn things around, and they believe they will. Earlier on Saturday, catcher Mike Zunino said he would rather experience a skid now than later in the season, when the team is, potentially, gearing up for a postseason run.

It isn’t time to press the panic button just yet, especially since the expanded postseason gives teams a little more margin for error. But after another loss to the Orioles, the Rays know they need to turn it around -- and quickly.

“I don’t think stressing about it is going to help us at all,” Glasnow said. “We’re a really good team. It’s only been nine games. It’s a shorter season, but we’ve lost a few games in a row before. I know we’ll rally again and get back on track.”