Rays Finally Get A Win, 4-1 Over Royals

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This is the first time the Tampa Bay Rays have lost three straight series this year tied for the longest streak with the defending World Series champions Texas Rangers. The Kansas City Royals had won eight straight. Their longest winning streak since 2017. That was the last time the Royals won a series at the Tropicana Field and they were going for a sweep in yesterday’s game.

According to a Tampa Bay Times writer, the next eight weeks for the Rays are vital. Manager Kevin Cash said “We cannot use its May excuse anymore” he has to find a way to get his team out of the funk they are in. It has not been just one aspect of the team it has been almost everything. Tampa Bay was hoping not to get swept by the Royals if it happens it will be the second straight series it happened.

The pitching matchup featured Michael Wacha (4-5, 4.31 ERA) for the visiting Kansas City Royals, and the Tampa Bay Rays went with Taj Bradley (1-2, 3.13 ERA). Bradley owned the Boston Red Sox in his last outing as they could not hit him for the first few innings. After that Boston made adjustments and the Red Sox crushed the Rays.

Photo Credit: Bradley Walker NGSC Sports

The first three innings were a back-and-forth with no excitement. There was only one hit between the teams and that belonged to the Royals. Taj Bradley lasted five innings giving up one hit, no runs, three hits, and six walks. Kansas City scored first on a solo home run by Bobby Witt Jr (2-5, HR, RS) in the top of the sixth inning extending his hitting streak to nine games. Michael Wacha’s perfect-game bid was broken up by Junior Caballero who hit a double in the bottom of the sixth. The big hit finally came from Brandon Lowe (1-1, 3 RBI, RS), a bases-clearing triple to give the Rays a 3-1 lead. Lowe had been 1-16 since coming back from a strained oblique. The next batter, Jose Siri, hit a blooping single to add to Tampa’s lead.

As the game entered the final two innings, the Tampa Bay Rays had a three-run lead at 4-1 the first time in quite a while. Randy Arozarena (0-3, RS) had a great play throwing out Witt Jr to keep the Rays’ three-run lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. The Rays would hold on and win and end their losing streak.

This was the first complete game they played in quite some time. The offense showed up when needed and the pitching and defense got the outs. The Royals winning streak ended at eight straight and the Rays avoided a second straight sweep. The Rays have a day off today and have the Oakland A’s coming in starting on Tuesday.

Will the Tampa Bay Rays use this win as a motivation moving forward? Leave a comment below.

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