Rays are first AL team since '55 to have four 1-0 loss in a month
Tampa Bay Rays right-hander James Shields really couldn't have done much better Tuesday over seven solid innings, holding the powerful Texas Rangers to three hits, albeit one a home run by Ian Kinsler.
But with his team once again failing to provide any support, he ended up on the wrong side of a 1-0 decision.
It was, amazingly, the fourth time the Rays lost 1-0 in August, the first AL team to do that since the 1955 Chicago White Sox.
"We're just not hitting," manager Joe Maddon said. "To lose 1-0 four times in a 22-game span, that's frustrating. I'll use the word frustrating."
Rays hitters were at a loss to explain their inability to produce, though the quality of opposing pitching has been part of it.
"You'd like to think we could put one on the board," shortstop Ben Zobrist said.
Yu Darvish and two Texas relievers struck out 14 while scattering seven hits.
Shields allowed two walks while fanning eight.
