Shane McClanahan, Rays Start Strong But Wild Pitch In 9th Place Sends Them Down

ARLINGTON, Texas — Much of Monday night revolved around the encouraging performance of All-Star Shane McClanahan, who made a stunning return from mostly the injured list, looking good on all his shots and feeling good about it.

But there was another disappointing ending, and a weird one at that, as the Rays lost 3-2 to narrower Pete Fairbanks on a walkoff wild pitch.

Rangers had a third-place man with two outs and Mitch Garver at the plate with a 1-1 count when Fairbanks fired a 100.4-mph fastball that appeared to rip, well over the plate and on Catcher Christian Bethancourt leapt past and pinch runner Josh Smith for the home run.

“It was snapped — it felt like it was coming out of my hand very hot and unfortunately not anywhere near the attacking zone,” Fairbanks said. “A heavy defeat. It’s a difficult way of avoiding danger and empowering yourself to escape and then trying to do too much and that’s how it ends up.”

Manager Kevin Cash, a former catcher, said there was nothing Bethancourt could have done.

“(Fairbanks) is doing a pretty good job there, making some big throws, definitely big throws against (All-Star Adolis Garcia, who he knocked out after Josh Jung doubled ahead)” Cash said. “You trust Pete to get angry at the right moment. He might have gotten a little too angry and snatched the fastball away.”

Fairbanks said, like his style, it’s about wanting to overpower Garver.

“I’m trying to blast its doors off and I destroyed it. I never tried to go deep and away. I try to throw people’s fastballs. And sometimes when you do that you crash it and that was the result. It’s a difficult time to make it to third place with a runner.”

Rangers’ Josh Smith (47) crosses home plate after scoring on a wild pitch from Rays closer Pete Fairbanks (left) in the ninth inning. [ TONY GUTIERREZ | AP ]

The Rays, up 31:30 from their 29-7 opener, still ended the night as sole first in the East with an American League best of 60-37; The Orioles, a game behind, also lost, their eight-game winning streak interrupted by the Dodgers.

But early in the game, things looked a lot more promising for the Rays.

Yandy Diaz, returning to the lineup as a father for the first time, hit a leadoff single that resulted in a run. Josh Lowe scored in the second half and had the added satisfaction of running past his older brother Nathaniel and saying something to him. “I can’t repeat what I said to him,” Josh said. “Just some brotherly love.”

McClanahan, back on the field for the first time since June 30 when he was put on the injured list due to a recurrence of back strain, was sharp from the start. He actually allowed Marcus Semien a leadoff single, but then got Corey Seager to start a double play, marking the beginning of a streak of 14 straight wins against the highest-scoring team in the majors.

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McClanahan was in control and command, shuffling all four pitches, hitting 99 mph with his fastball, hitting six while running none, and efficiently throwing 52 of his 69 throws for shots in the six innings.

“It felt good to be back out there,” McClanahan said. “It felt good to feel like myself again. I feel like everything worked (Monday). The end result stinks but I feel like I have a lot of good things to work on.”

Cash was equally pleased and “thrilled” with the performance and efficiency.

Rays shortstop Wander Franco grabs a single from Rangers’ Robbie Grossman in the sixth inning. [ TONY GUTIERREZ | AP ]

McClanahan took a 2-0 lead in the sixth round, but quickly lost it. Robbie Grossman reached a ball with an infield single. Wander Franco dived deep into the hole, then Ezequiel Duran hit a two-run home run on what seemed like a pretty good pitch, a 97.2-mph fastball that just missed lay the plate.

“I got well, got the rest I needed and made the adjustments I needed,” McClanahan said. “I felt really good (Monday). Honestly, it was probably the best thing I’ve felt all season. That two-run home run was one of those things where they get paid to hit the ball and sort of tip them to keep going.”

This was only the fourth time in 26 seasons the Rays had lost on a walkoff wild pitch and the first time since 2009.

Does the oddity in any way ease the pain?

“Yeah, an unfortunate way to lose,” Cash said. “I mean, I don’t know. Losing is losing. … Maybe it feels a little bit better when they hit the ball and drive a guy in. So I can welcome that thought.”

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