Rays lose after scoring first, ending historic streak

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays’ best recipe for success over the past five weeks started with scoring first. Tampa Bay had put up the game’s first run 22 times this season and won each of those games, tying the longest such streak to begin a season in Major League history.

Tampa Bay scored first Saturday afternoon, as Manuel Margot ripped a two-run double between third baseman DJ LeMahieu’s legs in the first inning. The problem was it didn’t score again, leaving the door open for the Yankees to come back in the eighth and beat the Rays, 3-2, before a season-high crowd of 27,078 at Tropicana Field.

“We probably had the right guys up at the right points and weren't able to add on,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Felt like we did have guys get on base, but that big hit just didn't come easy today.”

The Rays finished 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base, a rare off-day for the Majors’ most productive lineup. It was the first time Tampa Bay lost when scoring first, leaving the club tied with the 1884 St. Louis Maroons for the season-opening record, and the Rays’ first time losing this season when leading after seven innings.

Rookie reliever Kevin Kelly took the loss after surrendering the lead in the eighth, but the Rays’ missed opportunities at the plate loomed large after their second one-run defeat of the year.

“Every time I'm on base, I think that I'm going to score, the guy behind me is going to do his job and get me in,” said Luke Raley, who went 2-for-4 but was stranded on third base in the seventh inning and at second in the ninth. “We have done a really good job up to this point, and we're going to continue to do a good job.”

The Rays had two opportunities with a runner on third base, less than two outs and the red-hot top of their lineup batting.

In the fifth inning, Christian Bethancourt was on third with Wander Franco on first and one out. Franco was caught trying to steal second, Yankees starter Domingo Germán got Randy Arozarena to fly out, and Bethancourt was left at third. Raley reached on a bunt single in the seventh, stole second, then moved to third on Bethancourt’s sacrifice bunt, but reliever Ron Marinaccio struck out Díaz and induced an inning-ending groundout from Franco.

“Their pitchers did a nice job,” Cash said. “They made big pitches.”

For most of the game, the Rays seemed to be on their way to a series victory and a 28-6 record. Díaz and Franco led off the first inning with consecutive singles and scored on Margot’s 107.9 mph double through LeMahieu. Starter Drew Rasmussen kept Tampa Bay on top, striking out six while allowing only two hits and a pair of walks over 5 2/3 strong innings.

Ryan Thompson needed just one pitch to finish the sixth. Lefty Jalen Beeks began the seventh with a four-pitch walk to Willie Calhoun that immediately prompted a mound visit from pitching coach Kyle Snyder and action in the Rays’ bullpen, but he wound up striking out Aaron Hicks and Kyle Higashioka to strand a pair of runners in scoring position.

“I was happy that Beeks kind of reset himself after the walk,” Cash said. “Put himself behind a little bit, but made some big pitches.”

Beeks allowed a one-out single to Anthony Rizzo in the eighth, then gave way to Kelly, the side-arming Rule 5 Draft pickup who has been thrust into some surprisingly key moments for someone with barely more than a month of Major League experience. He recorded four key outs in Tampa Bay’s 5-4 victory on Friday night, for instance, to earn his third win.

“I'm glad they have that confidence,” Kelly said. “I just want to keep showing them that I deserve those chances.”

The right-hander allowed a 79.1 mph single to Gleyber Torres, then an RBI double to LeMahieu on a sinker at the bottom of the strike zone. Kelly retired Calhoun for the second out, but Bader knocked a 64.2 mph bloop single to right field that brought home Torres and LeMahieu and put the Yankees ahead.

“I think if we go back and look, he's going to find out that he executed pitches. Sometimes the hitter is going to get you,” Cash said. “I'm really impressed with what he's done this first month of the season. He should be proud of himself.”