Suffice it to say, Bump Day didn’t go as planned for Blake Snell. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Miami snapped Tampa Bay’s nine-game win streak on Saturday night as the Rays fell to the Marlins, 7-3. Blake Snell gave up four, fourth-inning runs in the loss as Tampa Bay fell for just the fifth time in 26 games.

In spite of the loss, the Rays enter play Sunday no worse for the wear. They still maintain a 5-1/2 game lead over the Yankees in the division — due, in part, to New York’s second consecutive loss against the Orioles — and a 100% chance of their second consecutive playoff berth (94.8% chance of winning the division) according to FanGraphs.

Blake Snell got the start for Tampa Bay and looked to continue his success against the Marlins. And in the early goings, it looked like that would be the case as the southpaw fanned six, and allowed just one hit and a walk over the first three innings. However, things changed in the fourth when Jesus Aguilar walked for the second time in the game, and Brian Anderson — who had been 0-for-14 against Tampa Bay this season — doubled to right-center. Lewis Brinson struck out on a fastball, but the ball went off Michael Perez’s glove for a passed ball, allowing Aguilar to score and Anderson to move into third.

The Marlins extended their lead in the fifth when Aguilar hit a one-out flare to right, then went to second on Anderson’s grounder to first. Snell was able to force the next batter, Brinson, to ground into the shift, yet Brandon Lowe sailed his throw to first, which went into the Rays dugout, scoring Aguilar. The infield hit and the throwing error, which came with Anderson at third, plated a run. Miami wasn’t done. Two pitches later, former Ray Corey Dickerson homered to left-center, capping a the rally. Dickerson is now 3-for-16 this season against his former team, and all three hits have been long balls.

Snell finished the frame, which ultimately ended his night. All told, he allowed six hits and two walks while striking out eight. He was charged with five runs (four earned) in his first loss of the season.

As dominant as Snell has been to start games, he has struggled in the middle innings, with Snell entering Saturday’s contest with an ugly 11.25 ERA in the fourth inning — a trend that continued Saturday.

I need to be better, that’s just the bottom line. I’m happy with how I feel, I’m happy with how my pitches are working, I’m happy with how I’m learning, I’m happy with how I’m watching video and seeing what I should do and then doing it for the most part. There’s a lot of good takeaways, but I have to put this team in a spot to win and I gotta give them more innings, because I know I can do that, and I know that’s very attainable.

I just have to be more ready to throw that first pitch with intent. It’s me. It’s not physical. I can throw strikes any time I want. It’s 100 percent me, and I have to do a better job of that. I’m going to. I feel really good, man. I really do feel good. It’s going to start going my way, I know it is, just with all the work I’ve been putting in.

I just have to be in the zone and compete in the zone, because my stuff plays, and I know it does. I just have to do it. That’s what I’m looking forward to in my next start on Friday. I’m going to learn a lot, I’m going to get better, and on Friday we’ll see what I learned and what I didn’t learn. I’m looking forward to that.

— Blake Snell

Tampa Bay got on the board in the fifth against Sandy Alcántara, who was very good. Yoshi Tsutsugo walked then scored on a one-out double to right by Michael Pérez, his second hit of the night and his 11th RBI of the season. Sadly, Pérez had just two of the three hits allowed by Alcántara over his six innings of work. Alcántara walked three and punched out eight.

The former Rays Marlins struck again and put the game out of reach in the seventh inning against Aaron Slegers. The right-hander walked Aguilar with one out before Brinson doubled into left, past Nate Lowe at third. Matt Joyce, who entered the game for the injured Ramirez, sliced a two-run single to left, putting the Fish up by six.

The Rays were able to make things interesting with two-outs in the ninth, yet it was too little too late. Reliever Brandon Liebrandt walked Hunter Renfroe and Tsutsugo, while Randy Arozarena beat out a ground ball to second for an infield hit — loading the bases. Pérez was able to come through with a single to left-center, drawing Tampa Bay within four, but closer Brandon Kintzler entered the game and got Joey Wendle to ground to first, ending the contest.

The New What Next

Tampa Bay will wrap up the Citrus on Sunday with Tyler Glasnow (2-1, 4.24 ERA) on the mound. He will pitch opposite of left-handed rookie Trevor Rogers (1-0, 2.00 ERA).

Tyler Glasnow posted six innings of scoreless ball against New York, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out nine on 87 pitches (55 strikes, 63% strike rate). The right-hander kept the Yankees’ offense off-balance for most of the night by leaning on all three of his pitches. He threw his 97 mph four-seam fastball 55 times, his curveball 24 times (nine swings and misses, 16% SwStr%) — eight at-bats ended on the curveball, resulting in seven K’s and a groundout — and eight 92 mph changeups which he threw to whomever regardless of handedness. All told, New York hit just four hard-hit balls against Glasnow.

I just feel like every time he gets on the mound, especially his last couple starts, he’s figured something out — I’m playing behind greatness out there. I am.

Watching what he does and how silly he makes guys look every inning he’s out there, it’s incredible.

— Kevin Kiermaier

Trevor Rogers allowed two runs on five hits and two walks across five innings pitched against the Mets on Monday. He struck out five. After five walks prevented Rogers from working past the fourth inning in his first start, the southpaw issued just two free passes on Monday. Rogers spotted the Mets a 2-0 lead in the third inning, although Miami rallied for four runs off Jacob deGrom in the top of the sixth to take the lead. Rogers relies primarily on a whiffy 94 mph four-seam fastball with natural sinking action, while also mixing in a firm 85 mph changeup that dives down out of the zone, and an 81 mph slider with two-plane movement.

You can read about the series in our preview, while the starting lineup and Noteworthiness are below.

Rays 8/6/20 Starting Lineup

  1. Margot CF
  2. Arozarena LF
  3. Meadows DH
  4. Brosseau 3B
  5. Adames SS
  6. Wendle 2B
  7. Renfroe RF
  8. Smith C
  9. N. Lowe 1B

Noteworthiness

— It would appear that the Rays sustained yet another pitching injury on Saturday. Recently acquired Cody Reed retired two batters in the eighth then departed with a pinky injury. After the game, Kevin Cash said they are not overly concerned about the injury.

We’ll have a doctor check it out and see what comes up.

— Kevin Cash

— In Port Charotte, left-handed prospect Shane McClanahan sustained a left knee hyperextension while attempting to cover first base on a ground ball. He is expected to miss about two weeks.

— Ryan Yarbrough (left groin tightness), who has been sidelined since August 28th, threw a bullpen session on Friday. Cash said that there were no setbacks and that the next time the left-hander throws could be in a game this week.

The bullpen went really, really well. I spoke with (pitching coach Kyle Snyder) during the game. He said (Yarbrough) looked great. I think now it’s just a matter of him going through the bullpen and us finding where we’re going to slot him back in.

— Kevin Cash

Yarbrough is eligible to return from the Injured List on Tuesday, and it’s conceivable that his return could come that day against the Nationals. If not, Tampa Bay could slot him in on Thursday against Boston following the off-day on Wednesday.

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