This is how bad things were going for the Rays on Monday:
Chandler Simpson, their speedy spark plug, got knocked out of the game in the fourth inning due to a bloody cut to his mouth caused by his own helmet.
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There were plenty of other lowlights for the Rays, most notably their pitchers allowing a season-most-matching five home runs, but also almost a dramatic victory as they battled back to within one run before eventually losing to the Tigers 10-9.
Bottom line, though, it was the Rays’ sixth loss in their last eight games, as their American Leading-leading record dropped to 36-21 and their division lead over the Yankees to one game.
And worse, to a Tigers team that started the day tied with the Rockies for the worst record in the majors (22-38).
Simpson left in the fourth when his helmet popped off as he was sliding head-first into second and then hit him in the mouth, causing a bloody cut.
That was an inning after their best defensive player, shortstop Taylor Walls, also left injured, removed for what the team said were precautionary reasons due to a recurrence of tightness in his left hamstring.
The Rays were down big early, 2-0 in the first and 6-0 in the third, during which starter Griffin Jax allowed three home runs in a five-pitch span.
Jax went into the game saying he felt fine despite being knocked out of his previous start after being struck in the lower right back.
Despite the rough results, he actually looked that way at times, striking out five and logging 14 swing-and-misses (matching the team season high) while throwing 70 pitches to 19 batters.
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The Rays cut the lead to 6-2 in their fourth when Junior Caminero hit his first homer since May 18, having gone 48 plate appearances (and 37 at-bats) since, though with a .342 average and .479 on-base percentage in that span.
The Tigers, who entered play with the lowest batting average and OPS in the American League, extended the lead to 8-2 with homers in the fifth and sixth off reliever Trevor Martin.
The Rays closed the gap in the sixth as former Tiger Ryan Vilade, who replaced Simpson, blasted a homer that struck the D-ring catwalk above the upper deck seats in leftfield, measured at 438 feet.
The Tigers added two more runs in the eighth.
And the Rays came back with four of their own.
Walks to three of the first four batters set them up with the bases loaded and one out.
Catcher Nick Fortes lashed a ball that that ticked off the glove off third baseman Colt Keith and went far enough down the line for Caminero and Victor Mesa Jr. to score, and Cedric Mullins to get to third.
Ben Williamson then smacked a ball to the right side that went off the glove of first baseman Spencer Torkelson, allowing Mullins and Fortes to score.
The Rays had a chance for more as the Tigers continued their sloppy play. Second baseman Hao-Yu Lee mishandled a Yandy Diaz grounder that could have been an inning-ending double play. Instead they again had two on, but Jonathan Aranda grounded out and Richie Palacios flew out to center.
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