TAMPA — Edwin Uceta didn’t provide the needed relief for the Rays on Thursday, giving up a three-run sixth-inning homer to Colton Cowser that carried the Orioles to a 4-1 win.
Uceta took over with the score 1-1 and the Orioles having one on and one out. He got the second out, but then walked the next batter and allowed the homer on an 0-2 fastball to Cowser, who homered for a third straight game.
That was the eighth homer Uceta has allowed in 33 appearances covering 32 innings.
The loss, just the Rays’ eighth in their last 20 games, dropped them to 41-34 and resulted in a split of the four-game series with the Orioles. They open a weekend series with the majors-best Tigers on Friday.
There was worse news, as Rays reliever Hunter Bigge was hit in the face by an Adley Rutschman foul ball while watching from the dugout and had to be taken out on a stretcher. Bigge, currently on the injured list with a lat strain, gave a thumbs up to the crowd several times as he was loaded on a cart to be transported for medical care.
The Rays took a 1-0 lead in the third in small-ball style.
Jose Caballero was hit by a Charlie Morton pitch, swiped second for his major-league-leading 28th steal, went to third on a sac bunt by Kameron Misner and scored when Danny Jansen punched a single through the drawn-in infield.
The Rays could have had a chance for more, but as Jansen headed to second he was hit by Brandon Lowe’s ground ball. Lowe was credited with a single under the scoring rules, thus extending his hitting streak to eight games.
The Orioles answered somewhat similarly in their fourth. Gunnar Henderson was hit by a pitch with one out, went to second on Jordan Westburg’s infield out and scored on a single by Ryan O’Hearn.
Drew Rasmussen pitched into the sixth, allowing four hits and a season-high matching three walks, plus a hit batter (who ended up scoring). The Rays had won each of Rasmussen’s last six starts.
He left with one on and one out, and Uceta made a mess of things. Uceta got O’Hearn to ground out for the second out, but then walked Ramon Laureano with four straight balls after a first-pitch strike.
He got ahead of Cowser 0-2 and got another foul ball, then gave up a three-run homer on a 94-mph fastball.
The Rays failed to convert scoring opportunities in the seventh and eighth inning, part of a 1-for-9 night with runners in scoring position.
Veteran Charlie Morton, the 41-year-old, 18-year veteran, held the recently high-scoring Rays to one run over six innings.
Rays manager Kevin Cash heaped praise pre-game on Morton, who pitched for the Rays in 2019-20.
“He’s had quite a career for sure and we certainly loved and appreciated him,” Cash said. “He was such a big-time pitcher for us and a big-time presence in our clubhouse, just because of the quality of person that he was, he is and continues to be.”
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Explore all your optionsFriday: vs. Tigers
7:05, Steinbrenner Field
Pitchers: Rays — RH Shane Baz (6-3, 4.54); Tigers — RH Jack Flaherty (5-7, 4.03)
TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun, Ch. 44; 95.3-FM, 620-AM, 106.7-FM (Spanish)
Info: raysbaseball.com
On deck
Saturday: vs. Tigers, 12:10. Rays, RH Ryan Pepiot (4-6, 3.11)’ Tigers, RH Sawyer Gibson-Long (0-0, 3.97)
Sunday: vs. Tigers, 12:10. Rays, RH Zack Littell (6-7, 3.88); Tigers, RH Casey Mize (7-2, 2.96)
Monday: Off
Tuesday: at Royals, 7:40. Rays, RH Taj Bradley (4-5, 4.95); Royals, TBA
Wednesday: at Royals, 7:40. RH Drew Rasmussen (6-4, 2.55); Royals, TBA
Thursday: at Royals, 2:10. Rays, RH Shane Baz (6-3, 4.54); Royals, TBA