Frustrating loss opens home stand: Athletics 6, Rays 4

The Rays opened up their short home stand with a frustrating 6-4 loss against the Oakland Sacramento Las Vegas Athletics. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen only went three innings, and Pete Fairbanks couldn’t keep the game tied in the ninth, and the offense could only muster runs in the fourth inning.

Jacob Lopez toed the rubber for the A’s. Lopez, an oft-forgotten piece in the Jeffrey Springs/Joe Boyle trade, has had an effective season for the boys in Sacramento, and looked like he might be in for a career-night in Tampa. He retired the first nine batters he faced and his team was up to an early 4-0 lead.

Rasmussen definitely wasn’t sharp, but being pulled after three innings and 54 pitches…