ST. PETERSBURG -- Jake Elmore pitched the eighth inning. Nick Franklin worked the ninth. That’s about all you need to know about what happened Tuesday night at Tropicana Field.
The Washington Nationals hammered the Tampa Bay Rays, 16-4, handing them their worst loss of the season.
It wasn’t exactly the best way for the Rays to begin their second turn atop the AL East standings. But, with the New York Yankees getting drilled down in Miami, the Rays resume this four-game home-and-home, interleague series with the Nationals on Wednesday in Washington still in first palce.
With the series shifting to a National League park for the final two games, the Rays were expected to make a post-game move to add another position player to the bench.