Another One Gets Away: Rays 2, Phillies 3

Nick Castellanos’ two-run homer proves the difference as Rays’ bats falter in critical moments.

The Tampa Bay Rays endured another frustrating loss at Citizens Bank Park, falling to the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2. The loss marks the Rays' sixth time getting swept this season.

Rays manager Kevin Cash was absent from the game, serving a one-game suspension stemming from an incident on Tuesday night when Rays pitcher Edwin Uceta was deemed to have intentionally thrown at Nick Castellanos. Without their skipper, the Rays could not overcome their season-long issue of failing to capitalize with runners in scoring position, going just 1-for-9 in such situations. The team entered the game with a .215 average, with runners in scoring position, the worst in the majors, and this was evident throughout the game.

Shane Baz took the mound for the Rays and had a decent start to the game, minus one bad pitch. After Trea Turner singled with one out, Baz retired Bryce Harper on strikes, leaving him one out away from escaping the inning unscathed. But up stepped Castellanos, who crushed a hanging slider over the left-center field wall for his 20th homer of the season. The two-run shot gave the Phillies an early 2-0 lead and set the tone for a hard-fought game.

The Rays clawed back in the top of the second. A pair of walks to Dylan Carlson and Jonathan Aranda opened the inning with some hope. After back-to-back strikeouts and hope fading, Taylor Walls came through with an RBI single to right, trimming the lead to 2-1. But as was the night's theme, the Rays couldn’t build any further momentum in the inning. Christopher Morel popped out to end the frame, leaving two runners stranded on base.

The Rays’ frustration at the plate was highlighted in the top of the third when Brandon Lowe led off with a triple, putting the tying run just 90 feet away with nobody out. However, Lowe would remain stranded there as Junior Caminero and Josh Lowe struck out back-to-back, followed by a called third strike on Carlson to end the inning. It was a missed opportunity to capitalize when a run was so close.

The Rays missed another scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth. Jonathan Aranda led off with a double and advanced to third on a groundout by José Siri. But with the next batter, Ben Rortvedt, Aranda was tagged out at home after Rortvedt hit a grounder to second baseman Bryson Stott, who threw to catcher Aramis Garcia for the out at the plate.

At the top of the sixth, Aranda decided to score all on his own when he stepped up and delivered a game-tying solo home run to the right field. It was Aranda’s second homer of the season, leveling the game at 2-2 and giving the Rays a glimmer of hope. But just as quickly as the Rays had tied it, the Phillies answered in the bottom half of the inning.

After Baz was pulled after 5.1 innings, Drew Rasmussen took over on the mound. He retired the first batter he faced but then walked Castellanos, and the Phillies went to work. Brandon Marsh singled, moving Castellanos to third, and Weston Wilson followed with a dribbler that trickled into the infield. The infield single allowed Castellanos to score the go-ahead run, putting the Phillies back on top, 3-2. Junior Caminero appeared convinced the ball deflected off Wilson’s foot, but the Rays did not challenge.

The Rays had their chances late, but their offense couldn’t break through against the Phillies’ bullpen. In the top of the ninth, trailing by just one run, Aranda grounded out to open the inning. The Rays then called upon Yandy Díaz to pinch-hit, and he delivered with a sharp single to center field, putting the tying run on base. However, American League steals leader José Caballero, who came in as a pinch-runner for Díaz, was caught stealing second base, another costly out in a critical moment. Ben Rortvedt grounded out to end the game, leaving the Rays just short once again.

With Cash set to return to the dugout Thursday, the Rays will look to regroup and put this frustrating series against the best team in baseball behind them. But salvaging what’s left of the 2024 season will still be a rough road as their next stop is the AL-best Cleveland Guardians.

The first pitch is scheduled for 7:15pm, with Ryan Pepiot scheduled to start for the Rays opposite Gavin Williams for the Guardians.