ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays fell 5-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field, dropping their third consecutive home series and going 3-7 over the stretch — a jarring collapse for a team that had just completed a record-setting 9-0 road trip.
The Rays were outscored 63-22 across the three series, a skid that marks the first time they have lost three straight home series since last season’s temporary stint at Steinbrenner Field while the Trop underwent hurricane-damage repairs. Despite the slide, Tampa Bay still holds the most home victories (43) in Major League Baseball this season and remains securely atop the AL East.
“Maybe it’s a good thing to get back out on the road,” Manager Kevin Cash said before boarding the charter flight to Baltimore, where the Rays open a weekend series against the rival Orioles.
Starter Ian Seymour (9-4) struck out eight and walked just one in five innings but was burned by three solo home runs — a 415-foot shot by Kazuma Okamoto in the second, Nathan Lukes’ blast to right in the fifth and Daz Cameron’s 442-foot homer two batters later. “We stick together and we have a good process,” Seymour said. “We’re a good team. I’m confident we’ll pick it back up. I mean, they kind of kicked us in the teeth from an offensive standpoint and pitching-wise, we just gave up a lot more runs than we typically do.”
Catcher Nick Fortes was blunt about the damage. “He just made a couple of mistakes and they made him pay for it,” Fortes said.
Toronto added two runs in the seventh on George Springer’s bases-loaded single against reliever Casey Legumina, a dribbler that found no man’s land between first and second base after an intentional walk to Alejandro Kirk loaded the bases. “We’re not turning two right there,” Cash said. “I think it’s a tough read for Jonny and a tough read for Richie. Probably the last place where you’re expecting the ball to go. Give them credit for moving the baseball and putting pressure on us.”
The Rays’ lone run came in the fourth when Chandler Simpson reached on an infield single and advanced on a throwing error by second baseman Charles McAdoo. Junior Caminero followed with a rocket-shot RBI single — an exit velocity of 114.6 mph — that slammed off the left-field wall. But right-hander Shane Bieber (5-2) smothered Tampa Bay the rest of the way, allowing just four singles over seven innings while striking out seven and walking none. Toronto retired 17 of the final 20 Rays batters.
Center fielder Cedric Mullins, who nearly homered in the seventh before Lukes made a leaping catch at the wall, said the team needs a change of scenery. “I feel like we had some tough games that just didn’t go our way,” Mullins said. “So be able to reset really quick, change the environment up a little bit and get back to it.”
With all five AL East clubs in strong postseason contention, Cash acknowledged the division’s depth. “We got two teams that are playing very good baseball,” he said. “They kind of put it to us. We’re playing in a very challenging division. Certain teams that maybe got off to some slower starts are playing better baseball right now.” The Rays open a three-game series in Baltimore against the Orioles on Friday.