Robbie Ray Struggles Through 5th As Diamondbacks Fall 6-4 To Rays

by Pablo MenaJune 7, 2016, 5:15 pmNews, Z-Home Slider >

Left-handed youngster Robbie Ray struggled through the fifth inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks fell 6-4 to the Tampa Bay Rays at home on Monday night.

Robbie Ray Struggles Through 5th As Diamondbacks Fall 6-4 To Rays

The 24-year-old held the Rays to two hits over the first three innings.

“He looked so good,” Arizona manager Chip Hale said of Ray (2-5) following the loss. “He was rolling. He swung the bat great. I didn’t want to take him out. I wanted his bat in there, but it is just that bugaboo in the fifth inning.”

In the fourth, the Rays scratched out a run on three straight singles. Then in the fifth, Mikie Mahtook doubled, Tim Beckham homered and Ray answered by walking the next two hitters. He then struck out Steven Souza Jr. for the first out of the inning but then gave up an RBI double to Desmond Jennings, after which his night ended.

Ray’s start on Monday almost mirrored his performance against the Colorado Rockies on April 29, when he gave up two home runs in the fourth and consecutive homers in the fifth before leaving without getting a single out in his final inning.

“Instead of slowing things down and going back to what I do, I try to do too much,” Ray said. “That is when I leave the ball up and it hurts me. I’ve just got to remember I can pitch and get groundballs and get guys out.”

Ray has lasted less than five innings four times this season and exactly five innings six times. He did, however, help at the plate on Monday, hitting his first career home run in the third to give Arizona a 1-0 lead. Paul Goldschmidt added an RBI double in the inning to push the lead to 2-0.

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After Tampa Bay took a 5-2 lead with their four-run fifth against Ray, David Peralta homered in the sixth to make it 5-3.

Peralta was playing his first game since May 15, when he was placed on the disabled list with inflammation in his right wrist.

Jennings homered in the seventh to put the Rays up 6-2. The Diamondbacks responded by scoring in the bottom half on a bases-loaded walk to Welington Castillo.

Rays starting right-hander Chris Archer (4-7) went six innings, allowing three runs and five hits with three walks and 12 strikeouts.

Rays right-handed reliever Alex Colome, appearing in his fourth consecutive game, pitched a perfect ninth for his 16th save.

Ray’s home run leading off the third was his third hit of the season. He became the first Arizona pitcher to homer since Wade Miley on April 22, 2013, at San Francisco.

The two teams will next face off again at Chase Field in Phoenix on Tuesday night. Lefty Matt Moore (2-3) will start for the Rays (26-30) against Diamondbacks (25-35) right-hander Zack Greinke (7-3).

PHOTO: PHOENIX, AZ – JUNE 06: Robbie Ray #38 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a first inning pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays at Chase Field on June 6, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)