Rays let lead get away in 8th, end up with ‘tough’ loss to Orioles in 11

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays had done enough to win Saturday, at least until they got to the eighth inning and their most dependable high-leverage reliever, Jason Adam, let them down, allowing a tying homer.

And from then on, a series of things they didn’t do right led to a 6-4 loss to the Orioles in 11 innings.

The defeat ended the Rays’ five-game winning streak and dropped their American League wild-card-leading record to 50-41 as they head into Sunday’s final game before the All-Star break.

“Any loss is tough,’’ Adam said. “But a loss when you’re holding the lead in the eighth is extra tough. That falls squarely on my shoulders.’’

Adam was even tougher on himself because he went against his gut, wanting to throw a 2-0 changeup to Adley Rutschman but going with the more predictable fastball and paying for it to start the inning.

But realistically, Adam — who had given up just one homer and was unscored on in 36 of his first 40 outings — had help.

Individually and collectively, as the Rays’ 2-for-15 showing with runners in scoring position and 10 men left on base were also factors.

“The key, I think, of the game,’’ manager Kevin Cash said.

But there were several key moments late.

In the 10th, the Rays looked like they were going to snuff out an Orioles rally. Centerfielder Brett Phillips caught a fly ball and fired to the plate, seemingly in time to nab Austin Hays, who had tagged up, and end the inning.

But the ball took a short hop that catcher Christian Bethancourt couldn’t handle, allowing the run to score.

“I’ve got to make that play,’’ Bethancourt said. “It was a tough hop, a strong throw, but just couldn’t come up with it.’’

Said Phillips: “That’s tough. Can’t expect (Bethancourt) to pick that. Off the bat, I knew I was going to be able to put myself in a good position to make the throw, and it was a strong throw, but unfortunately, just the short hop there.’’

The Rays tied it in their half of the 10th when Phillips bunted Brandon Lowe, in his first game since mid-May due to a back issue, to third and Ji-Man Choi singled him in. But Randy Arozarena, who earlier had homered, stole a base and got caught stealing (his majors-most eighth time), grounded into an inning-ending double play.

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The Rays seemed to seize the momentum to start the 11th on a crafty sequence that led to the Orioles having one out and none on against reliever Luke Bard.

Expecting No. 9 hitter Jorge Mateo to bunt, Bethancourt called a slider that would be hard to get the bat on, and came up ready to throw if Rougned Odor strayed too far off second, as they suspected. Odor did, then broke for third as Bethancourt fired to second. Shortstop Taylor Walls made a good pick and perfect throw to third to get Odor, and the Rays seemed to have a big break.

“Unbelieveable,’' Cash said of the play.

But Bard let it get away. He allowed a triple, on a full-count pitch, to Mateo, then a full-count walk to Cedric Mullins.

“Momentum is real,’’ Phillips said .”And right there, that triple just gave them some momentum.’’

Bard got a popup for the second out. But after Mullins stole second, Bard gave up a bloop single to right by Ryan Mountcastle, on a 1-2 pitch, that scored the decisive runs.

“One pitch in and we’ve got nobody on, one out,’’ Cash said. “I think Bard, (his) command just wasn’t quite as crisp. He kind of settled in and grinded through it, was one pitch away, and ultimately Mountcastle got enough of it.’’

It turned into that kind of night.

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