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Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Sport
Marc Topkin

Rays keep it close, then lose again to Blue Jays

Well, if you’re looking for something positive, the Rays kept the other team under 10 runs Saturday and lost by less than nine, so that was progress from the previous two games.

But otherwise, it was another lost day and another loss, this time 6-3 to the Blue Jays. That makes it five straight losses overall, 10 straight on the road and 12 in their past 16 games.

In other words, a mess, as they fell to 47-36.

Saturdays game in Buffalo, N.Y., was tied at 1 until the sixth when starter Shane McClanahan and reliever Matt Wisler teamed to allow five runs in an ugly inning. An errant throw home by third baseman Joey Wendle also contributed.

The Jays took a 1-0 lead in the second off McClanahan when George Springer, as he did Friday, hit the first pitch he saw over the fence.

The Rays got even in the fourth when Manuel Margot homered off Jays starter Ross Stripling.

McClanahan, the rookie lefty from USF, had delivered another strong start heading into the sixth. He left after getting one out and putting two on, a 117.3-mph double by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a walk to Springer.

Wisler started by allowing an infield single that loaded the bases. He then got a slow grounder to Wendle, who uncharacteristically made an off-target throw home.

That got the Jays one run. An opposite-field blooper by Cavan Biggio that landed just inside the left-field line scored two. And after Lourdes Gurriel was caught trying to steal third, Santiago Espinal delivered a two-run homer.

Over the five straight losses, the Rays have been outscored 42-17.

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