Another quiet day at plate for Rays and a 3rd straight loss to Reds

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on Jul 27, 2025

Published in Baseball

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CINCINNATI — The Tampa Bay Rays continued their majors’-worst skid with a 2-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

The defeat was the 18th in their last 25 games, coming after a 25-9 run during which they had the best record in the league.

In being swept for the fifth time this season, the Rays dropped to 53-53, the first time they haven’t been over .500 in two months. On June 28, they were 11 games over at 47-36.

While the bullpen has been a problem, the offense also has been quiet. The Rays were held to two or fewer runs in all three losses to the Reds.

Cincinnati got two first-inning runs off Rays starter Shane Baz, and that was enough.

The Rays were shut out and held to two hits into the eighth inning by Reds starter Brady Singer — the former University of Florida star — until Taylor Walls homered.

Tony Santillan took over and struck out Matt Thaiss and got Chandler Simpson to fly out to end the inning. Ex-Ray Emilio Pagan closed it out for the Reds, striking out Yandy Diaz, while getting Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero to fly out.

The Rays finished with just three hits on the day.

The Reds grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning off Baz.

TJ Friedl and Matt McLain started the rally with back-to-back singles, though Baz then struck out the dangerous Elly De La Cruz.

Austin Hays bounced a ball up the middle that Rays shortstop Taylor Walls charged for, but couldn’t pick up with his glove, allowing Friedl to score from second.

McLain, who moved up to second on Hays’ single, then stole third and scored when Gavin Lux grounded out to first.

Walls, considered one of the game’s most sure-handed infielders, also had a misplay in Saturday’s loss that he attributed to an unexpected and especially bad hop.

The Rays left after the game for New York, where on Monday they open a four-game series against the Yankees.

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