Rays 1, Athletics 3: Goodbye Forever, Oakland

The Rays lose their last game at the Coliseum.

Day games hit a little different when they start so late, but here we are anyway, the last time the Rays will ever play in Oakland. The Rays had Jeffrey Springs on the mound up against Osvaldo Bido for the A’s, and neither starter went very deep in the day.

In the first Yandy Diaz got a leadoff walk, then Dylan Carlson took a stroll one out later. Both were left stranded though, as two outs ended the inning. In the home half, Miguel Andujar got a one-out single, and Brent Rooker followed him with a walk, but they, too, went scoreless.

The Rays went 1-2-3 in the top of the second. In the bottom of the inning, Lawrence Butler singled to start things out, then Tyler Nevin singled right after him. A Zack Gelof sac fly scored Butler. A Darell Hernaiz double then scored Nevin. Max Schuemann walked, but a double play ended the inning.

Again, the Rays went down in order in the top of the inning for the third. In the home half, Daz Cameron got a two-out single, then stole second. Lawrence Butler then singled, and Cameron came home to put the A’s up 3-0. While Butler also stole second, the A’s didn’t score any additional runs.

Christopher Morel got a one-out single in the top of the fourth, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. A Jose Cabellero double scored Morel, to put the Rays on the board. In the bottom of the inning, Hernaiz doubled, chasing Springs from the game, who was replaced by Kevin Kelly. Kelly got the final two outs of the inning.

It was another three-up, three-down for the Rays in the top of the fifth, a little too common for this game, if you ask me. But at least the A’s did the same in the bottom of the inning.

Brandon Lowe started the sixth with a walk, chasing Bido from the game, who was replaced by Michel Otanez. Morel got a one-out single, but two outs followed to leave both baserunners stranded. Colin Poche relieved Kevin Kelly in the bottom of the inning, and he got three outs in a row.

Grant Holman was next out of the A’s bullpen, and gave up a two-out single to Rob Brantly. Yandy Diaz then singled, and Holman was out, replaced by T.J. McFarland. McFarland got the final out. Joel Kuhnel replaced Poche, and with two outs, gave up back-to-back singles to Miguel Andujar and Brent Rooker. He did get the last out, though, with no runs scoring.

Tyler Ferguson was the next reliever out of the A’s pen, and gave up a two-out walk to Josh Lowe, but it wasn’t the rally effort the Rays might have longed for. Into the bottom of the inning, the Rays turned to Richard Lovelady. The game took a brief pause as Lovelady tried to barehand catch a comebacker, but he made it clear he was okay to stay in the game. Tyler Nevin got a two-out walk. Then Zack Gelof walked. Neither runner scored.

Onto the ninth and the Rays’ last chance to make something happen. Mason Miller was in to pitch, Kamer Misner got a one-out single, but two outs followed and the Rays dropped the final game of the series.

Final: A’s 3, Rays 1