Clutch hitting, 'pen let Rays down again

ST. PETERSBURG -- It was more of the same for the Rays in a 2-1 loss to the White Sox in 11 innings on Saturday at Tropicana Field.

Over the past couple of weeks, Rays manager Kevin Cash and the players have talked about their recent issues with the back end of the bullpen and the serious offensive struggles with runners in scoring position.

On Saturday, Emilio Pagán allowed a two-out solo home run to James McCann in the ninth inning with Tampa Bay holding a 1-0 lead. The offense went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, and the Rays were unable to take advantage of the leadoff hitter getting on base in seven of the 11 innings.

• Box score

“I’m happy with the pitch, but it just didn’t go our way again,” Pagan said. “Like I said, we can’t keep using that same excuse, and we need to find a way to come out on top. This is getting pretty bad, pretty quick.”

During their five-game losing streak, the Rays are 2-for-32 with runners in scoring position, and they are 5-for-57 in such situations in their past nine games. The losing streak is their longest of the season.

“It’s very frustrating,” Cash said, when asked about the struggles with runners in scoring position. “Our pitchers, tonight they gave us everything they could. You feel bad for Emilio, it looked like he made a pretty quality pitch. ... You like to think that we have guys that are equipped to go in there and compete and get something done with runners in scoring position. We just didn’t.”

The best opportunity to score came in the ninth inning, when Avisaíl García led off with a walk and Joey Wendle followed with a single to put the winning run at second with nobody out. But after Willy Adames’ bunt attempt resulted in Garcia being forced out at third, Mike Zunino grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

In the 11th inning, Adam Kolarek walked Yoan Moncada to lead off, and he came around to score on a Jose Abreu single off Chaz Roe that got through a wide-open right side of the infield due to Moncada taking off for second on the pitch.

“He scored from first on a ball that bounced five times in the infield,” Pagan said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that, not even like in Little League.”

Tampa Bay's only offense came in the seventh inning, when Garcia connected on a projected 459-foot home run off Lucas Giolito that hit the 2008 American League East championship banner that hangs high above the upper deck in left field.

“I knew that it was a homer by the way that I hit it,” Garcia said. “Just trying to do my best and to get on base for my teammates. We played a tough road trip, and now when we get home, it’s been rough. We’ve just got to keep playing and trying our best every single day.”

Ryan Yarbrough had another solid outing for the Rays, retiring the first 12 hitters he faced en route to tossing six scoreless innings. Diego Castillo, Colin Poche and Oliver Drake also had positive results out of the bullpen.

But at the end of the night, the Rays fell again in familiar fashion. In their 45 losses this season, the Rays have allowed the go-ahead run in the ninth inning or later 13 times, including four in their past nine losses.

“It’s crazy, man,” Pagan said. “I mean, things that can not possibly go our way, are not going our way. I know that’s kind of a broken record and I’m sure that the fans are tired of hearing it, but like I said, we’re a talented group that’s going to turn it around at some point. We’re too good not to.”