Rays return to usual ways

ROYALS 10, RAYS 0: Day after blowout win, Tampa Bay is shut out a league-high 13th time.

By KEVIN KELLY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 12, 2002

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Back to reality.

Proving that Saturday's six-homer, 16-hit, 13-run performance against the Royals was an anomaly, the Rays received an equally punishing whipping in return Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City hit three homers in the first two innings off rookie starter Jorge Sosa and cruised to a 10-0 win before 15,257 Sunday.

Tampa Bay, which made three errors and got two hits, has been shut out a major-league-leading 13 times this season.

"I felt like we didn't even show up today," shortstop Chris Gomez said.

The loss continued a trend and could cost Sosa his spot in the rotation. It marked the ninth time this season Tampa Bay has scored eight or more runs and won only to follow with a loss.

"How do you go from last night to tonight? I don't know," Rays third baseman Jared Sandberg said. "Baseball is a weird game and hard to explain. There's so many different variables that anything can happen day to day."

The Rays' undoing Sunday began with Sosa.

The Rule 5 right-hander allowed four runs in the first inning, including a three-run homer by Joe Randa. The Royals scored one on Carlos Febles' homer in the second before Sosa pitched a scoreless third.

He allowed four hits and walked two.

Since moving to the starting rotation when Ryan Rupe went on the disabled list June 25, Sosa is 1-5 with a 7.17 ERA and has walked more than he has struck out (28-23).

"He's having difficultly finding the strike zone," manager Hal McRae said.

The Rays have few options should they want to replace Sosa. Travis Harper and Wilson Alvarez, both in the bullpen, would be the most likely options.

Harper is 2-2 with a 4.64 ERA as a spot starter this season.

Alvarez, who was removed from the rotation after going on the disabled list last month, is 2-2 with a 6.32 ERA as a starter but has proven a solid commodity in the bullpen. He has a 1.29 ERA and one save in two appearances.

"There's nowhere to go," McRae said. "To do something for the sake of doing something, I don't believe in doing that."

After getting a leadoff infield single from Brent Abernathy, who was hospitalized after the game because of dehydration, the Rays were hitless until Gomez doubled to right-centerfield to lead off the sixth.

Kansas City rookie starter Runelvys Hernandez allowed one hit over five innings.

"They did a good job of keeping us off-balance, not giving in with good fastballs to hit," Sandberg said. "(Hernandez) was throwing his off-speed pitches for strikes from the very first pitch of the game. He was spotting three pitches for strikes and that's tough to beat."

The Rays finished their six-game trip to Cleveland and Kansas City with a 2-4 record and are 6-8 during a 26-game stretch against teams under .500.

"This is what happens when you don't stay focused, don't go out there prepared to play," Gomez said. "Regardless of what you did the night before."