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For the first time this season, the Tampa Bay Rays have lost a game. They went down at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays by the score of 6-3.
This moves the Rays' record to 13-1, meaning they end up tied with the 1987 Brewers and 1982 Braves for the longest modern-day MLB winning streak to start the season.
The Blue Jays didn't waste any time getting started in this one, as George Springer homered to lead off the bottom of the first. The lead was extended to 2-0 on a Bo Bichette RBI double in the second. The Rays got a run back in the fourth, but it was the bottom of the fifth when the Blue Jays took control of the game, though it was as much the Rays imploding as the Jays taking over.
Singles from Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. started things off, though Vlad's knock could have been fielded by Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who just missed it. Daulton Varsho walked to load the bases before a Matt Chapman strikeout. The Rays then went to reliever Colin Poche and he walked in two runs. It was 4-1 Blue Jays then, and a grounder from Danny Jansen should've been an inning-ending double play, but Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe just missed the feed at second and the throw went into right field. That plated two more runs to make it 6-1.
The Rays managed back-to-back homers from Josh Lowe and Christian Bethancourt, but that was it for the scoring.
The Rays had gone 13-0 with relative ease, too. They had outscored their opponents 78-20 and 11 of their 13 wins came by at least four runs.
The naysayers will point out the Rays hadn't played a tough schedule. The Nationals, Tigers and A's are in last place and were expected to be three of the worst teams in the league coming into the season. The Red Sox also sit in last, but they were 5-4 before visiting the Rays.
Regardless, the schedule talk won't be quieted after this one. For the first time this season, the Rays faced a team everyone agrees is a legitimate contender and they lost their first game.
