'We'll come around': Rays not sweating Matz's struggles, recent skid

ST. PETERSBURG -- After giving up a season-high six runs on seven hits in three innings last Wednesday in Baltimore, veteran left-hander Steven Matz was confident he would be able to quickly put that start behind him.

He’s been around long enough to know that bad outings happen, and he said Monday he felt good about the “minor adjustments” he made with pitching coach Kyle Snyder over the past week. Even his bullpen session leading up to this start was encouraging.

But Matz did not have the bounceback performance he anticipated on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Nor did the Rays do anything to put their recent skid in the rearview mirror.

Matz gave up five runs on six hits, including two home runs, while recording only five outs to begin the Rays’ 8-0 loss against the Tigers.

“It was on me today. It was a tough one,” Matz said afterward. “Got to try to work myself out of this rut and move forward.”

Tampa Bay has lost seven of its last nine games and two of its last three series. Tuesday’s defeat -- which ended with infielder Ben Williamson pitching the ninth inning against a Tigers team that has now won back-to-back games for the first time in a month -- guaranteed the club’s first home series loss since dropping two of three against Cincinnati six weeks ago.

“We're going through it. Simple as that,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We're just not playing that well. We're not being opportunistic like we are. We're not preventing runs like we are. But we'll turn it around here real soon.”

In Monday’s 10-9 loss, the Rays’ lineup provided enough firepower to keep it close until the very end. That wasn’t the case this time.

Tigers starter Jack Flaherty, who entered the night 0-7 with a 5.81 ERA, held Tampa Bay to five hits and two walks while striking out six over five innings. Left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus retired each of the 11 Rays he faced to earn a four-inning save. It was the third time this season the Rays have been shut out.

“We'll come around,” catcher Hunter Feduccia said. “We're taking good at-bats, and it'll eventually happen.”

The most immediate concern for the Rays is Matz, who has seen his ERA climb to 5.48 following consecutive clunkers. It’s been an unexpected turn, especially after he looked good for four innings in his May 20 return from the injured list after a brief bout with elbow inflammation.

He said it was “hard to put my finger” on what’s gone wrong in his last two starts, but it begins with a lack of consistent command on the edges of the strike zone, resulting in more hitters’ counts and more hittable pitches.

“Got to get Matzy right. He's a big part of our rotation here,” Cash said. “Obviously, we're going through it a little bit right now. Runs are challenging to come by and preventing them is challenging.”

The velocity on Matz’s sinker was down a bit on Tuesday, averaging 92 mph compared to his season average of 93.3. Cash said that was “part of the reason” he pulled Matz after 53 pitches, but there was no indication Matz was being affected by an injury or physical issue.

“I don't really have an answer for that,” Matz said. “My stuff plays up when my fastball is kind of on guys, and I think that also contributed to me getting hit today.”

And the Tigers seemed to be on everything he threw, refusing to swing at pitches outside the strike zone then hammering anything over the plate.

It started right away. Matz fell behind Tigers leadoff man Gleyber Torres, 3-1, then Torres blasted a 93.2 mph sinker a Statcast-projected 433 feet toward the Daiquiri Deck in center field for a leadoff homer.

“That kind of set the tone for the rest of the game for me,” Matz said.

Four pitches later, Matt Vierling drove a high sinker to the gap in left-center field for a 102 mph triple. Dillon Dingler promptly launched a 1-0 changeup to center for a sacrifice fly before Matz retired the next two batters to escape the inning.

The lefty couldn’t quiet Detroit’s bats when he returned for the second. Spencer Torkelson roped a full-count changeup for a 108.3 mph double, then Wenceel Pérez crushed a full-count sinker a projected 404 feet to left for a two-run homer. He gave up two more hard-hit doubles, both on two-strike offspeed pitches, that resulted in another run, ending his night.

“I don't think they had to respect my fastball,” Matz said. “When they have to respect my fastball, I think the offspeed [stuff] out of the zone plays better, and they were able to lean out over.”