Colome struggles vs. Nats' hot bats

ST. PETERSBURG -- Alex Colome simply didn't have it Tuesday night as the Rays took a 16-4 loss to the Nationals at Tropicana Field.

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"It's just one of those nights where Alex didn't have his best stuff," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "He'll bounce back and be ready to go in five days."

Colome struggled throughout his two innings of work. After escaping trouble in the first, the right-hander wasn't as lucky in the second, when he allowed six earned runs -- a career high for single inning for Colome -- and he threw 43 pitches. Colome did not come out to pitch the third.

"I lost my release point, my command, my cutter, my changeup was in the dirt," Colome said. "My fastball got away. Be behind every time in the count. I lost everything."

Colome saw his ERA move from 4.21 to 5.14 due to his outing.

"I think he tried everything," Cash said. "He tried the fastball, the cutter, the changeup, they were all catching way too much plate or putting him behind in counts."

Colome's outing was the shortest of his career. Previously, his shortest outing, 3 1/3 innings, was on May 16 at Minnesota.

The Rays have lost each of his past five starts since his last victory, May 21 against Oakland.

Colome allowed three walks in the second inning, including one with the bases loaded.

"I feel good like every day," said Colome, seemingly confused about what went wrong. " ... My fastball, cutter and changeup go the same way -- away, away, away. ... Some pitches I threw in the middle and go down and away."

Colome has allowed 13 walks in his past five starts, with multiple walks in each after yielding only three walks in his first five starts.

"I think the command of his pitches in the second inning," Rays catcher Rene Rivera said, "it was hard for him to figure out. One of those days where he feel good and he can't control."