Rays’ sage earn jog ends at 13 video games with sloppy loss to Blue Jays

TORONTO — The Rays knew, clearly, they weren’t going to earn them all.

Profitable their first 13 video games used to be historic as it used to be, matching the up to the moment-day sage to commence a season, shared by the 1982 Braves and 1987 Brewers.

How they did so used to be even extra spectacular, with an incredible offense, right pitching and fine protection that resulted in a outstanding scuttle that thrust them into the nationwide highlight.

All of which made it — pretty — disappointing Friday after they misplaced out on a probability to stand alone with a 14th straight victory by taking a part of their worst overall game in a 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays.

“Losing aloof sucks,” starting up pitcher Drew Rasmussen said. “It’s a form of issues that, fair correct the manner we misplaced, is a minute bit bit demanding.”

They Rays misplaced because:

• Rasmussen wasn’t spicy, permitting eight hits and, extra anxious to him, four walks in four-plus innings, desiring 93 pitches to earn 13 outs.

• Reliever Colin Poche had an admittedly “embarrassing” day outing, strolling in aid-to-aid runs on nine pitches.

• Shortstop Accelerate Franco and 2nd baseman Brandon Lowe, pretty inexplicably, botched a possible inning-ending double play that allowed two runs to earn.

• And an offense that had been averaging near to eight runs per game used to be held to some, two on solo homers after they were down by 5.

“It sucks that took enlighten in the course of all the issues that used to be going on,” Lowe said. “However it took enlighten. It’s accomplished. We bought 140-plus extra video games to play. And let’s now not dwell on one loss.”

They had plenty to appreciate with.

The 13 wins eclipsed the franchise sage for consecutive wins at any level of a season (12 by the 2004 crew) and matched the 2nd-longest jog all-time in vital-league play, in the aid of only the all of sudden vital 1884 St. Louis Maroons, who won their first 20 at some level of the twelve months of Union Affiliation play.

“I’m appreciating it actual now,” Rays supervisor Kevin Money said. “I’m basically impressed by what I fair correct watched for two weeks. If you happen to’re talking a few crew from 1884, you’re doing one thing stunning frigid. So I’m very, very impressed.”

Rasmussen, who posted 13 scoreless innings over his first two begins, took the blame, inserting the Rays in a gap by permitting a homer to George Springer on his 2nd pitch and permitting 12 of the 23 batters he faced to attain unfriendly.

“It’s my job to jam the tone, so that falls on me,” he said. “Simply the shortcoming of competitiveness, four walks in four innings fair correct can’t happen. And it’s fair correct a demanding map — it’s a form of issues that this crew used to be on the kind of actual jog, all I needed to finish used to be maintain (the strike zone) up and belief our protection, and I was unable to enact that (Friday).”

The game separated in a messy fifth, as the Jays expanded their lead from 2-1 to 6-1.

Rasmussen opened it by permitting singles to Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (which Franco whiffed on), then strolling Daulton Varsho to load the bases. He struck out Matt Chapman sooner than Money opted for Poche.

That turned out to be a depressed circulation, as Poche walked pinch-hitter Alejandro Kirk on four pitches to force in one scuttle and Santiago Espinal on 5 (a necessary-pitch strike, followed by four balls) to add one other scuttle.

“It’s embarrassing, to be actual,” Poche said. “Basically the most demanding section is that they didn’t beat me, it used to be all self-inflicted.”

Things bought worse when Danny Jansen hit a grounder to Franco that ought to were an inning-ending double play, but Lowe passed over the throw, permitting two extra runs to earn.

“It fair correct bought away, a total mix of various issues,” Lowe said. “It’s one thing that must earn made.”

Silent, 13-1 isn’t a depressed solution to commence a season.

“Completely,” Lowe said. “Thirteen straight, winning the manner that we did, it’s mammoth. I stammer doubtlessly every person knew that 162-0 used to be doubtlessly out of the quiz. However it used to be a mammoth scuttle. Easiest thing about losing a jog is you fair correct commence a novel one. So, be ready to exhibit up the following day and commence a novel jog.”

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