Tampa Bay Rays Cannot Afford to Be Swept by the Baltimore Orioles

The Tampa Bay Rays need to take the field today against the Baltimore Orioles with the mentality that they are in a one-game playoff.

The Rays (77-65), are currently three games behind both the New York Yankees and Orioles for the AL East division lead. They are also three games out of the second wild card spot. 

With only 20 games remaining on the schedule, time is increasingly becoming more foe than friend.

After losing on Wednesday night to the Orioles 3-2 on Nate McLouth's walk-off RBI, the Rays find themselves in a must-win scenario going into the last game of the three-game series. If they are swept by the Orioles, they would trail Baltimore by four games with only one three-game series remaining on the calendar against them.

Wednesday night’s loss was a snapshot of what has been ailing the Rays for the bulk of the season.

First, the offense wasn’t able to capitalize and score enough runs, leaving 11 runners stranded on the bases during the game. Seven of the runners left stranded came in the sixth inning and later.

The larger ailment has been their inability to win games decided by one run this year. The Rays are 20-25 in one-run games this year. They have lost 12 of their last 15 one-run games and are 8-21 in one-run games since May 28, after starting the season 12-4.

With the best pitching in baseball, the Rays offense has to stop being so offensive.

Rays manager Joe Maddon commented on the team’s offensive woes following Wednesday night’s loss (via ESPN.com):

"

We just have to get more offense somewhere, Maddon said. That's the part of the game that has not been forthcoming with any kind of consistency. We've gotten better on defense. Pitching's been outstanding. The offense kind of comes and goes a bit. ... Basically a lot of it has to do with our inability to get the big hit when we need it.

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The Rays need some big hits today. They still have a three-game series against the Yankees that they can make up ground against New York, but today could seal their fate in their race with the Orioles.

Rays outfielder B.J. Upton knows the importance of today’s game in Baltimore and shared his thoughts with Bill Chastain from mlb.com:

"

We have to win tomorrow, Upton said. We felt like we had to win today, but the reality is we have to win tomorrow. We have no choice. If we want to end up where we want to be, we have to win tomorrow and we have to win the series in New York.

"

It’s do-or-die time for the Rays, let’s see how they respond.

Jamal Wilburg is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report.

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