Rays fall flat against MLB-worst White Sox

CHICAGO — Once the afternoon rain stopped, Friday’s game on the South Side of Chicago seemed like the fitting place for the Rays, who have sputtered through the first month of the season, to start getting right.

They came in with the momentum of Wednesday’s win over the Tigers, and the rest from Thursday’s day off.

They had their No. 1 starter, Zach Eflin, on the mound.

They were playing against a White Sox team with a majors-worst 3-22 record that had just returned from an 0-7 road trip (in which it was outscored 49-18) and had lost 13 of its last 14.

And they were facing a starter, Chris Flexen, who had allowed 14 runs (on 21 hits and seven walks) in 19 2/3 innings over five appearances, including three starts.

Yet, the Rays faltered again.

The 9-4 defeat was bad enough, dropping the Rays back under .500 at 13-14.

Worse could be the potential loss of Yandy Diaz, who was struck on the left hand by a 99.3-mph Michael Kopech fastball, appeared in immense pain and immediately left the game.

Some of the details illustrated the inconsistency they Rays have been dealing with.

They were held to two hits through five innings by Flexen, and nine for the game, and were 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position, leaving a season-high 12 on.

They failed three times in key situations to even get the ball out of the infield.

In the first, when Diaz started the game with a double, but Randy Arozarena grounded out and Amed Rosario and Isaac Paredes popped up. In the sixth, when Diaz and Arozarena walked, but Rosario struck out, Paredes popped out and Harold Ramirez grounded out. And in the seventh, after a one-out single and two-out RBI double by Rene Pinto, when they drew three straight walks, cutting the lead to 5-2. They got Paredes to the plate as the tying run with the bases loaded but he grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Eflin allowed nine hits over his six innings, including a costly three-run homer in the sixth to No. 9 hitter Martin Maldonado.

The nine runs by the White Sox were their most in a game this season.

The Rays made two errors.