Rays come up just short again, are swept by Dodgers as struggles go on

The Rays showed, briefly, some spark offensively against Dodgers ace Shohei Ohtani in Wednesday's matinee series finale.

But typical of what happens when a team is going bad, their pitching then faltered.

Starter Shane McClanahan struggled and the bullpen blew a lead, with Kevin Kelly giving up a go-ahead homer to Freddie Freeman in the sixth, just beyond the reach of leaping centerfielder Cedric Mullins. Then a ninth-inning rally fizzled.

The result was a third straight one-run defeat, this one 5-4, and a long flight home after being swept by the Dodgers and losing two of three to the Angels.

"We had some good at-bats there right at the end, just fell a little bit short," Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

"It felt like we fell short a lot this series. You come out on the wrong side of three one-run ball games, I'd like to think that, and know, that we're good enough to find ways to win games. We just didn't over the last three days."

The loss was the Rays' 15th in their last 22 games, dropping their record to 41-30, a long way from the majors' best 34-15 record they held going into play May 24.

"This team has clicked really well throughout the course of the season, but, no, things aren't going our way right now, and certainly didn't over the last three days," Cash said. "But very confident we'll get on the plane, get through (Thursday's) off day, and be ready to go."

The Dodgers took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Rays responded with four runs in the fifth off Ohtani, and the Dodgers trimmed the lead to 4-3 in their fifth. The game was decided in the sixth.

Kelly, who has been one of the game's most effective relievers since early April, allowing zero earned runs in 25 of his last 27 outings, had a rare misstep in giving up the lead.

Andy Pages smacked a out-out double, then Freeman drove a ball that carried just over the centerfield fence and beyond Mullins' reach.

"I started him off with a changeup there, thought he might swing early so wanted to get him to roll over something and threw a ball, so got behind obviously," Kelly said in the Rays clubhouse.

"Obviously he knows I'm probably coming back with a sinker. I left it up, and that's basically it. He put a good swing on it."

McClanahan had a third straight rough outing, getting knocked out in the fourth, walking a career-high five, throwing only 41 of his 83 pitches for strikes, including just 11 on 19 first pitches.

But as bad as it looked, and as frustrated as he said he was afterward, McClanahan, who returned this season after missing the last 2 1/2 with injuries, allowed only two runs.

"These last three (starts) obviously have not been the most desirable, the best results. I'm frustrated with it, but obviously I'm not going to lose faith in myself," he said.

"I didn't think this process would be easy. This is kind of a little period of growing pains where I feel like my stuff the last three times out has possibly been the best it's been all season, and unfortunately I just haven't had the results."

The Rays, who scored only four runs total in the first two games of the series, came roaring back in their fifth, against Ohtani no less. They sent nine men to the plate and scored four, matching the most he allowed all season.

"The best thing was that we answered back," Cash said. "They had gone up 2-0 and we answered right back, put some pressure on (Ohtani). He's very, very talented, stays in the zone, but I felt like we put enough pressure with some good at-bats to get us back in the game, and then ultimately take the lead with some big hits."

Over the extended skid that started with a May 24 walkoff loss at Yankee Stadium, this was just the fourth time the Rays scored as many as four runs in an inning and the fourth time they batted around.

The rally started at the bottom of the order, with a Victor Mesa Jr. walk, a Hunter Feduccia double and a Taylor Walls sac fly for the first run.

Yandy Diaz singled in Feduccia with the tying run. Singles by Jonathan Aranda and Mullins, who beat out a grounder to first when Ohtani didn't cover the bag, loaded the bases.

Junior Caminero's hard fielder's choice grounder to third scored Diaz, and Richie Palacios' RBI single made the lead 4-2.

But then the bullpen let the Rays down.

In the fifth, Casey Legumina loaded the bases with a walk and two singles, then Garrett Cleavinger came in and walked Tampa native Kyle Tucker to cut the lead to 4-3. Cleavinger did rebound to set down the next three Dodgers and keep the lead.

And in the sixth, Kelly gave up the decisive blow.

The Rays rallied again in the ninth, loading the bases on three walks, but Mullins struck out with Caminero on deck.

The Rays headed back to Tampa Bay after the game and following Thursday's off-day will open a season-long 10-game homestand against the Nationals, Royals and Diamondbacks at Tropicana Field, where they have a majors-best 24-9 record.

"It's hard to go out west and play," Kelly said. "And you know how we are at home, so we're definitely ready to go."

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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 7:05 PM.