The Athletics finally broke through with a series win in Boston last weekend. Three games later, the momentum is gone again.
Tampa Bay completed a three-game sweep Wednesday with an 8-4 win at Sutter Health Park. The Rays collected 15 hits and scored four runs in the fourth inning to take control.
The loss dropped the Athletics to 47-74. They have lost three straight and nine of their last 11.
Meanwhile, the A’s are again tied with the Angels for the worst record in the AL West and the worst record in baseball.
Perkins gets hit hard
Jack Perkins never found much breathing room against the AL East leaders.
Tampa Bay scored twice in the second and once in the third before the Athletics answered.
Carlos Cortes doubled home Donovan Walton and Zack Gelof in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
However, the Rays immediately responded.
Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero delivered consecutive two-out singles in the fourth. Caminero’s hit scored Díaz before Liam Hicks followed with a three-run homer.
Just like that, Tampa Bay led 7-2.
Perkins allowed seven runs, six earned, on 12 hits over five innings. He walked one, struck out two and fell to 2-9 with a 7.27 ERA.
Perkins is 0-7 over his last 11 starts.
Gelof keeps producing
Gelof provided another encouraging performance after recently returning from the injured list.
He singled and scored in the third, then homered in the eighth. It was his 13th home run of the season.
Lawrence Butler followed later in the inning with his ninth homer, trimming the deficit to 8-4.
Still, the late power could not erase the damage.
The Athletics finished with seven hits and went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Cortes drove in two runs, while Gelof and Butler accounted for the other two.
Rays finish the sweep
The Athletics bullpen at least prevented another complete collapse after Perkins departed.
Drew Rom threw a perfect sixth with one strikeout. Scott Blewett allowed one hit in a scoreless seventh.
Hayden Juenger gave up Tampa Bay’s final run in the eighth before Seth Johnson worked a scoreless ninth.
By then, the Rays had done enough.
Tampa Bay scored 30 runs during the three-game sweep and completed a 9-0 West Coast trip.
The sweep came immediately after the Athletics had finally ended a lengthy series drought by taking two of three from Boston at Fenway Park.
That progress lasted one series.
Back at the bottom
The standings again reflect how difficult the season has become.
Houston leads the AL West at 62-60. Texas sits second, while Seattle remains third.
The Athletics and Angels are both 47-74, tied for the worst record in the division and the worst record in baseball.
Colorado sits just ahead of them in the overall standings at 48-73.
Up next
The Athletics get Thursday off before opening a three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Friday at Sutter Health Park.
Texas enters the series at 60-61 and sits second in the AL West.
First pitch Friday is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PT.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
