Toronto Puts an End to Tampa Bay's Record-Tying Win Streak
The Rays had a great start to their season, tying the modern era record. But a few costly mistakes put them out of reach and they dropped to 13-1.
The Tampa Bay Rays lost 6-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Friday, ending the longest winning streak in Canada in more than three decades. The Rays won 13 of their first 14 games, matching the record set in the modern era by the Atlanta Braves, and the Milwaukee Brewers, respectively.
1884 St. Louis Maroons, who began the Union Association’s one and only season with an unblemished 20-0 record, will remain the most successful team in major league history.
The Rays were so dominant, it almost seemed like they could win 20 games in a row. Kevin Cash, the manager of the Rays after they won their thirteenth game on Friday, said that there was nothing about their game they weren't happy with.
On Friday, however, the Rays were a completely different team, with poor defense, imprecise pitches and an inability of getting hits at critical moments.
Cash told reporters at Toronto that 'not much went our direction tonight'.
Tampa Bay must now make sure that it does not repeat the fate of the Brewers in '87, who despite losing still scored more runs than their opponents this season. The Brewers lost 12 games in a row after winning 13 of their first 14 games.
The Rays' hopes of setting a modern-era record for the Rays were dashed during a stretch of three batters in the fifth inning. Colin Poche, the relief pitcher, walked 2 batters in 9 pitches, with bases loaded.
Poche stated that if you have one strike out of nine pitches it is not competitive.
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Second baseman Brandon Lowe then made an error which cost him two more runs. Poche bounced a ball to short but Lowe missed a routine throw by the shortstop Wander Frano that could have led to an inning-ending triple play.
Dante Bichette was 5 for 5 in his Blue Jays' game and scored his 500th career hit with a run-scoring triple in the second inning. In that number of games, no other Blue Jays player has ever reached 500 hits. George Springer's leadoff homer against Drew Rasmussen was the first loss for a Tampa Bay pitcher this season.
The Rays lost both games in their wild-card playoff series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Lowe stated that the loss did not hurt more than any other in the course of the season.
He said, "Every win is wonderful." "Every loss is terrible."