CHICAGO — Christopher Morel stepped into the batter's box at Wrigley Field on Friday, and was greeted with a nice ovation from Chicago Cubs fans. He used to be a fan favorite before getting traded to Tampa Bay last summer.
The Rays fans haven't embraced them like this at all. He's even booed often in Tampa, so this was different.
It was also different that Morel had a big impact on the game. Chandler Simpson opened the game with a single and Yandy Diaz drew a walk. Up stepped Morel, who hit the second pitch he saw after the cheers deep into the bleachers to give the Rays a three-run lead. They booed after the blast.
Unfortunately, that was the lone highlight of the day for Tampa Bay, 6-4 losers after starter Shane Baz couldn't hold the lead. It was their sixth loss in the past seven games.
"Any loss is frustrating, whether you blow a lead or don't complete a comeback,'' said outfielder Jake Mangum, who had two hits. "It doesn't matter how you lose. Losing sucks.''
The Rays' lead didn't last long. Baz, who's had a very up and down second half of the season, allowed three runs on four hits in the bottom of the second. He didn't even make it out of the third inning, giving up a two walks, a hit batter and a triple before being replaced Edwin Uceta.
"I just don't think the command was very good,'' Baz said in the Rays' clubhouse after the game. "The fastball was just up arm-side a lot and I just didn't make the adjustment. It's just one of those days.
"They have a lot of guys that don't really chase or swing-and-miss, so you have to beat them in the zone sometimes. It sucks. Any time you can't (have success), it sucks. It stings, especially after a few good outings. I just need to put this one behind me and get ready for the next one.''
Baz is now 9-12 on the season, and has given up four runs or more in five of his last seven starts. He's given up four or more in 11 of his 29 starts and his ERA is now 5.15, worst in the American League for pitchers over 145 innings. Matthew Boyd (13-8) got the win for the Cubs. It was his 11th home win, tops in the majors.
"The Cubs have been playing well, and it just seemed like their was constant pressure in every bat,'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "There were some walks in there — (Baz had three) — and then they found some holes, hit some balls hard. It was a combination of things.''
The Rays scored a run in the fourth when outfielder Jake Mangum opened the frame with a single and went to second on a walk. Catcher Nick Fortes drove him home with a single — but then 16 Rays in a row went down in order through the end of the game. Former Rays closer Andrew Kittredge got the final three outs in the ninth.
The Rays are now 72-75 on the season and seven games behind in the American League wild-card race as of Friday afternoon. It's been a tough week, losing three straight to Cleveland, then two of three to the White Sox on the first leg of their Chicago road trip.
They aren't eliminated from playoff contention yet with Friday's loss, but the clock is certainly ticking loudly.
"Frustrating week, and when you lose, that word gets thrown out a lot,'' Mangum said. "I'm not happy about it, but we're going to try to come in here (Saturday) and win Game 2.
"As long as there's more games than games behind, there's a shot. We're going to keep playing hard and win every baseball game we can.''
The two teams meet against on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, who are now 84-63, will start right-hander Colin Rea (10-6, 4.20 earned run average), while the Rays will counter with ace Drew Rasmussen (10-5, 2.64 ERA. The game starts at 2:20 p.m. ET.