CLEVELAND — Sunday’s game was going just how the Rays would have hoped.
A strong start by Ryan Yarbough, who has a key role in their revamped rotation, and a go-ahead home run by Nelson Cruz, the veteran slugger they acquired in a trade Thursday.
Then the game went the wrong direction.
Matt Wisler took over in the eighth for Yarbrough and lost the lead, then the game, as Cleveland prevailed 3-2.
The rally started with a Cesar Hernandez single just past diving second baseman Joey Wendle, then Wisler hit Amed Rosario. A hard single by Harold Ramirez scored the tying run and sent Rosario to third.
That mattered, because Rosario scored the go-ahead run on a sac fly to center by Bobby Bradley, though Rays centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier made a heck of a throw home to make it close.
On Saturday, the Rays moved into a tie atop the American League East with the Red Sox but are now one game back after Boston rallied for five runs in the eighth Sunday to beat the Yankees 5-4.
Sunday’s game was the Rays’ 100th of the season, as they dropped to 60-40.
They also missed out on completing a seven-game season-series sweep of the Indians and extending their overall winning streak against them to 12, which would have matched their franchise best against any team. They beat the Orioles 12 straight in 2008.
The Rays took the lead right from the start, as Randy Arozarena led off with an infield single off Triston McKenzie, went to second when Ji-Man Choi walked, third on Cruz’s flyout to deep center and home on a groundout by Austin Meadows, who logged his 71st RBI, fifth most in the league.
The Indians tied it up even quicker, as Hernandez launched Yarbrough’s third pitch over the centerfield fence.
The game was pretty much a pitcher’s duel from there.
Or at least until the start of the sixth, when Cruz drove a 1-1 pitch from McKenzie over the centerfield fence.
It was Cruz’s second homer in three games since being acquired Thursday from Minnesota, his 21st of this season and the 438th of his career, tying Andrew Dawson for 45th on the all-time list. Cruz is also third all time among active players, behind Albert Pujols (675) and Miguel Cabrera (494).
Yarbrough allowed five hits, walking one and striking out six, throwing 67 of 92 pitches for strikes. Wisler took over in the eighth and changed everything.
