The Cleveland Baseball Club lost to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 5-4 after the a blown save leading to extra-innings.
There have been several times this season when the Cleveland bullpen has not completed the task at hand. Thursday night was one of those times. Staked out to a 4-1 lead over the Rays, the Cleveland bullpen proceeded to allow three runs over the final four innings. Phil Maton allowed one in his lone inning of work while James Karinchak blew his third save of the season by allowing two runs in the 9th. Tampa would manage to score one run in the 10th which ended up being the game-deciding run in the 5-4 final score.
Prior to the late collapse, there were some positive signs. Cal Quantrill started the game allowing one run on four hits while striking out two and walking three in 6 innings. Franmil Reyes drove in three of the four Cleveland runs with a three-run bomb in the 3rd.
Two players who have been slumping recently came up hitless in the loss, Jose Ramirez and Bobby Bradley. While Ramirez walked twice and Bradley once, they were 0-3 and 0-4 on the night respectively. If Cleveland is going to come away with much needed wins this cannot happen.
Cleveland now trails the White Sox by 9 games and Oakland by 6. Time is running out for the team to get things right and contend for the playoffs.
