CLEVELAND -- There were plenty of ways to describe the Rays’ 7-6, 11-inning loss to the Guardians on Saturday night.

It was eventful, with multiple lead changes and big home runs and manager Kevin Cash’s second ejection of the season and an unexpected team debut in an 11th-inning save situation that came about due in part to another injury to a key player. It was “weird,” as reliever Pete Fairbanks put it.

“Just leaves you with kind of a sour taste in your mouth for a little bit afterwards,” Fairbanks added.

But the most applicable adjective was the one that came up the most often inside the visitors’ clubhouse at Progressive Field after a potential hard-fought comeback win turned into one of their most bizarre and stunning defeats this season.

“Frustrating loss,” Cash said.

• Games remaining: at CLE (1), vs. BOS (3), vs. SEA (4), at MIN (3), at BAL (4), vs. LAA (3), vs. TOR (3), at BOS (2), at TOR (3)
• Standings update: The Orioles now hold a 2 1/2-game lead on the Rays for the AL East title. The Rays remain the top AL Wild Card team, the club that gets to host a three-game Wild Card series against the AL’s No. 5 seed beginning Oct. 3.

The Rays’ second straight loss to the Guardians cost them a game in the AL East race and sealed a series defeat, ending the club’s six-series winning streak. It was also the eighth straight one-run game the two clubs have played in this ballpark, including last year’s postseason series, with the Rays going 1-7 in those contests.

And it was the second straight night the Rays blew a lead in the seventh inning or later, the first time they’ve lost back-to-back games since Aug. 8-9. Before Friday’s series opener, Tampa Bay had been 60-4 when leading after six innings this season.

“I thought the guys played well. Effort was there. We did a lot of good things to come back,” Cash said. “They just did the little things a little bit better than we did.”

The Rays were in a good spot after six innings, as Christian Bethancourt tied the game with a three-run homer in the fifth (on his 32nd birthday, no less) and Jose Siri gave the Rays a 5-4 lead with a solo shot in the sixth.

Cash was ejected in the bottom of the fifth for arguing a pitch timer violation. It appeared Andrés Giménez wasn’t engaged in the batter’s box with eight seconds left and an 0-2 count against starter Zack Littell, but home-plate umpire CB Bucknor called a violation on Littell, prompting an animated response from Cash.

“I don't need to pile on. We all saw what took place,” Cash said. “Their hitter was not in the box at eight seconds, and we got penalized for it.”

With two outs in the ninth, a runner on and Fairbanks pitching, things started to go awry.

Oscar Gonzalez tapped a 56.2 mph comebacker that deflected off Fairbanks’ glove and rolled along the infield grass for an infield single. Steven Kwan then swatted a high, 0-1 fastball through the left side of the infield for a game-tying single before Fairbanks got out of the inning.

“That's a frustrating one,” Fairbanks said. “Very frustrating to come out on the bottom, especially when it got prolonged by a 56 mph full swing that somehow hit me.”

The Rays couldn’t score against Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase in the 10th inning, as Luke Raley was tagged out at the plate while trying to score on a chopper off the bat of pinch-hitter Osleivis Basabe. Right-hander Robert Stephenson struck out three on nine pitches (albeit with an intentional walk mixed in) and Brandon Lowe lofted a go-ahead sacrifice fly to put the Rays on top in the 11th.

Then came perhaps the most surprising moment of a wild night.

The Rays summoned right-hander Chris Devenski for the save opportunity on his first day with his new team. Released by the Angels and signed by the Rays earlier this week, Devenski hadn’t pitched in a Major League game since July 15 or any sort of official game since a rehab appearance on Aug. 24. The veteran’s last big league save came on April 4, 2021.

“It’s not ideal, but we're in September. … We can't get too picky about landing spots,” Cash said. “But from what we just saw right there, it looks like a guy that could certainly help us.”

There was some strategy involved in the decision to use Devenski over more recent high-leverage options like Andrew Kittredge or Kevin Kelly. Relievers Jake Diekman, Shawn Armstrong, Colin Poche, Fairbanks and Stephenson had already pitched after a 4 2/3-inning start by Littell, and Devenski features a changeup that could neutralize the left-handed hitters Cleveland had due up.

But there was also a previously unannounced injury that played a part. Setup man Jason Adam is heading to the 15-day injured list on Sunday due to a minor left oblique strain, with starter Taj Bradley expected to take his spot and start the series finale.

Without Adam in the bullpen, the Rays turned to Devenski. He struck out Gabriel Arias then lost a 10-pitch battle and walked Bo Naylor, gave up a game-tying single to José Tena then served up a walk-off sacrifice fly to Kwan.

“That’s part of the game. You've got to be ready at any moment,” Devenski said. “I was ready to go, and the results just didn't go the right way.”