ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ The Rays have been feeling pretty good about themselves during a five-game win streak. But Wednesday's 1-0 loss to the Rockies has to sting.
They stranded 13 runners and left runners on third base in three innings, including the bottom of the ninth. The Rockies didn't fare much better, but pinch-hitter Chris Iannetta took care of things in the top of the 11th inning with a solo home run to give the Rockies a 1-0 win in front of 11,093 at Tropicana field.
The win is the first ever for Colorado in St. Petersburg. The Iannetta home run snapped the Rockies' 221/3 inning scoreless streak. The Rockies scored two runs total in the three-game series.
The Rays are now 3-9 all time in games that entered extra innings scoreless.
The Rockies got leadoff runners on base in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings but were unable to score.
The Rays first wasted opportunity came in the sixth inning. Austin Meadows and Tommy Pham each singled with one out to put runners on first and second. They advanced to third on a wild pitch. Ji-Man Choi then walked to load the bases.
But Brandon Lowe hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Trevor Story, who easily turned an unassisted double play to end the threat.
Then came the seventh inning. Avisail Garcia led off with a hard hit ball to center field. Ian Desmond, a converted infielder, missed the ball near the wall and charged with an error. Garcia made it to second, then advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by Daniel Robertson.
Kevin Kiermaier walked and stole second. But Mike Zunino struck out and Willy Adames was thrown out on a bunt base-hit attempt. He was originally called safe, which would have scored a run. But upon review, the call was reversed.
And in the ninth, Daniel Robertson led off with a single and one out later moved to third on a Zunino single. But Adames struck out trying to bunt a third strike and one batter later Pham grounded out hard with the bases loaded to force extra innings.
After an off day on Thursday, the Rays open a three-game series at San Francisco.
