Rays Rout Rangers, 7-0
ARLINGTON (AP) - Colby Lewis was wild on and off the mound for the Texas Rangers on Monday night.
The right-hander couldn't build on the momentum of his second career shutout, walking four and making a key throwing error in a 7-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
"Beat myself, that's all there is to it," said Lewis, who also hit a batter and needed 101 pitches to get through five innings. "That can be your guys' quote. I really don't have much more than that."
Just two of the five runs off Lewis (8-9) were earned because Tampa Bay's three-run second inning was sparked by his throwing error trying to get Cole Figueroa at third on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Curt Casali.
Besides that mistake, Lewis just wasn't the same pitcher who beat the Chicago White Sox 16-0 on a six-hitter in his last start.
"Just couldn't command the baseball the way he had," manager Ron Washington said. "When he left a pitch up, they hit it."
Lewis had a chance to escape the second with a 1-0 deficit before Matt Joyce's two-out, bases-loaded hit for a 3-0 lead. The sharp single to right field came after Joyce ripped a line drive that was just foul and struck a security guard in the face. The man was bleeding as he was led off the field.
"Colby threw some tough pitches," said Joyce, who walked twice and was hit by a pitch. "I fought off a tough one. Then I finally got one I could handle."
Drew Smyly (7-10) allowed three hits struck out nine in a career-high 7 2-3 innings, including Shin-Soo Choo with one out and runners at second and third in the eighth, his only shaky inning. The win was his first since joining the Rays in the trade that cost them David Price.
The left-hander beat the Rangers for the second time this season and hasn't allowed them an earned run in three appearances, including a start and a relief outing when he was still with Detroit.
"He was so good," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "He was in command of everything. He was still throwing 92 when he punched out Choo at the end."
Reliever Joel Peralta preserved the shutout by getting Jim Adduci on a bases-loaded grounder.
Before Adrian Beltre's line-drive single to left center in the seventh inning, the only hit for the Rangers was a bunt by Daniel Robertson in the third. Rougned Odor had a bloop double off Smyly in the eighth.
MAJOR FEAT IN MINORS
Spokane, the Rangers' short-season Class A team, had four relievers combine for an 11-inning no-hitter in a 3-0 win over Everett on Sunday night. It was the first extra-inning no-hitter in Northwest League history. The pitchers were Derek Thompson (five innings), Shane McCain (three), Adam Parks (two for the win) and Luis Pollorena (one for the save).
TIMES HAVE CHANGED
Tampa Bay played its first game at the Rangers since beating them 5-2 in a playoff for the second wild-card spot last season. And that was after Texas beat the Rays in AL Division Series in 2010 and 2011 on the way to the first two World Series appearances for the franchise. Now the Rays are on the fringe of the wild-card race and the Rangers are 26 games under .500.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: RF Kevin Kiermaier left the game in the seventh inning with tightness in his lower back. The move was precautionary. Wil Myers, on the disabled list since June 1 because of a fractured right wrist, played right field Monday night on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham.
Rangers: RF Alex Rios was out after aggravating his sprained right ankle with a slide into home Sunday against Houston. The MRI revealed no significant damage and he could return Tuesday night. Rios originally injured the ankle July 19 at Toronto.
ON DECK
Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (1-1, 2.61) makes his fourth start since returning from right elbow surgery. Tampa's oldest starting pitcher at 27 years, 126 days, Hellickson is 0-3 with a 5.03 ERA against the Rangers. Texas RHP Nick Tepesch (4-7, 4.46) faces the Rays for the first time since beating them in his major league debut last season.
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