ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays’ American League lead slipped to five games with 37 remaining after Nick Martinez surrendered a season-high six runs on nine hits in just 3 2/3 innings, falling 10-5 to the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night.
The loss was the Rays’ fourth in their last five games, ensuring a losing homestand on the heels of an unbeaten nine-game trip out west. Toronto pounded out a season-high 17 hits against Tampa Bay pitching, and the Rays failed to record a single 1-2-3 inning for just the fifth time this season and the first since May 8 in Boston.
“I think Nick was off a tick and just couldn’t quite right himself, for whatever reason,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s been so good for us and confident – very confident – he’ll bounce right back. Just one of those days.”
Martinez, who has worked at least five innings in 21 starts this season and allowed three runs or fewer 20 times, was uncharacteristically wild. He threw three wild pitches — all on changeups — after recording just two in his first 138 innings this season. “Those are nightmares to block,” Martinez said. “It’s a crapshoot if they bounce before the plate, and that’s on me.”
Alejandro Kirk did the most damage for the streaking Blue Jays, who have won 13 of their last 19 games. Kirk launched a homer to left-center in the third inning for two runs, then added a run-scoring hit in the fourth. Martinez gave up two runs on three straight two-out hits in the first, two more on Kirk’s homer in the third, and two more in the fourth before Cash lifted him in favor of left-hander Steven Matz after a walk to Springer. The six runs and nine hits both tied Martinez’s season highs, and it was his shortest start since going 2 2/3 innings for the Reds on Aug. 15, 2025.
The Rays collected 13 hits of their own — all singles, marking just the second time in franchise history Tampa Bay recorded at least 13 hits without an extra-base knock. The only other occurrence was Sept. 2, 1999. Tampa Bay loaded the bases with one out in the third against starter José Soriano, but Jonathan Aranda hit into an inning-ending double play. The Rays scratched across three runs in the fourth but squandered another chance in the fifth when Liam Hicks grounded into a double play with two on and one out.
“I think the way the hitters in this clubhouse are, if we just keep doing that, we’re going to eventually drive them in,” Hicks said. “It’s not something that’s going to last for a long time.”
Right-hander Jesse Scholtens provided needed length for a bullpen that had covered 22 of the team’s 37 innings against the Orioles over the previous four days. After Matz gave up two runs in the fifth, Scholtens pitched the final four innings, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk. “We’ve been chewed up early in the ballgame. We’re not able to get deep, and the bullpen’s taxed a little bit,” Cash said. “Really appreciate Scholtens’ efforts right there to keep guys from having to come in to pitch.”
Martinez, who has led the Rays to victories in 18 of his 24 outings this season — including a complete game against the A’s last week on 101 pitches — called the performance simply unavoidable. “They were scrappy, man,” he said. “Bad day to be a pitcher.” The series against Toronto continues Wednesday at Tropicana Field.