ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Rays kept pushing their way back into Monday night’s game until they didn’t have to push anymore.
The Indians had closer Emmanuel Clase on the mound with an 8-7 lead in the ninth inning, but the Rays pushed right past him for a 9-8 win at Tropicana Field.
Franmil Reyes rallied the Indians from a 4-0 deficit to an 8-5 lead by driving in five runs, but it wasn’t enough. The loss extended the Indians’ losing streak to a season-high seven games.
Tampa Bay’s top prospect, Wander Franco, singled home pinch-runner Brett Phillips with the trying run in the ninth. Clase intentionally walked Austin Meadows to load the bases and bring former Indians infielder Yandy Diaz to the plate. Diaz, whose seventh-inning homer helped fuel Tampa’s comeback, sent a bouncer to Cesar Hernandez at second base. Hernandez made an off-balance throw home, but it was not in time to stop Randy Arozarena from scoring the winning run.
“They had a good approach against Clase,” said Indians manager Terry Francona. “They didn’t try to pull him. They stayed up the middle. They didn’t get too big again him. They let his velocity work for them. They were just getting the barrel of the bat on the ball.”
Manuel Margot opened the ninth with an infield single and was replaced by Phillips. Arozarena singled to center to set the stage for Franco, MLB’s top prospect before he was promoted to the big leagues on June 22.
If you’re Francona, despite the loss, it has to feel good to have Reyes back.
Reyes, making his third start since spending 38 days on the injured list with a left oblique strain, struck out in his first at-bat. In his next three trips to the plate, Reyes singled, homered and doubled. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Reyes’ five RBI were a career high.
“One, it’s nice having him back,” said Francona. “It’s also nice not having him back in name only. He’s obviously worked really hard getting ready because his timing looks really good. When he’s a threat like that, that’s really good for us.”
Reyes started the ill-fated rally with an RBI single in the fourth to make it 4-1. He even took part on the back end of a double steal with Jose Ramirez in the inning.
In the fifth, Reyes hit a two-run homer off Drew Rasmussen to make it a 5-5 game. The Rays took a 5-1 lead in the fourth on Margot’s sacrifice fly despite a great catch by Harold Ramirez in right field. Ramirez ended the inning with another good catch, jumping against the right field wall to deny Arozarena extra bases.
The Indians made it 5-3 in the fifth as Oscar Mercado and Hernandez hit consecutive singles to start the inning. Mercado scored on Amed Rosario’s grounder and Hernandez scored on Jose Ramirez’s single. Reyes tied it at 5-5 with his 12th homer, a line drive that rattled off the top of the wall in center.
In the sixth, Reyes added a two-run double to right center for an 8-5 lead. Mercado scored the first run of the inning as he reached on a walk and took third on a throwing error by second baseman Brandon Lowe after the Rays had Mercado hung up between first and second on an aborted steal attempt. Hernandez delivered Mercado with single to center.
Jose Ramirez followed with a single to send Hernandez to third. After Ramirez stole his second base of the game, Reyes brought them both home with his 10th double of the season.
The Rays worked their way back into the game against the Indians’ bullpen. Margot singled with two out in the sixth off Nick Wittgren to make it 8-6. Bryan Shaw, working 1 1/3 innings for the second straight day, relieved Wittgren to get the final out of the sixth. He had two out in the seventh when Diaz homered to make it 8-7.
James Karinchak retired the Rays in order in the eighth.
The Rays took a 4-0 lead on Lowe’s grand slam in the second off lefty Logan Allen. Lowe came into the at-bat hitting .105 (9-for-86) against lefties, but he drove Allen’s 1-1 pitch into the right field seats for the first slam of his career.
It was the second slam allowed by Indians pitching in the first five days of July. Jose Altuve hit the first on Thursday off J.C. Mejia.
Allen, who lasted 3 1/3 innings, retired Meadows to start the second, but the next three Rays reached as Diaz singled, Choi doubled and Mike Zunino walked to bring Lowe to the plate.
Lefties, in Allen’s first six appearances, hit .417 (5-for-12) against him. Monday night the Rays’ left-handed hitters went 4-for-7 against him.
“He lacked command of his fastball,” said Francona. “By his own admission, he’s having trouble with his changeup where it can get them off his fastball and slider. The pitch to Lowe with the bases loaded was right down the middle.”
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Cleveland Indians lose to Rays, 9-8, as season-long losing streak grows to seven games - cleveland.com
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