Published September 18, 2015
Tampa Bay's Jake Odorizzi had no room for error in what may have been the best start of his career.
Matt Holiday hit his changeup for a home run in the sixth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat Tampa Bay 1-0 on Tuesday night, the Rays' third straight shutout loss and their 14th defeat in 15 games.
"Today I felt I was really executing my pitches and nothing they could do was going to beat me," Odorizzi said. "One mistake by me and I got beat."
One mistake has been enough to beat the Rays, who have been shut out an AL-leading 10 times this season, including five in their last 10 games.
"It was a changeup. I just left it up and it kind of floated up there in the inner third (of the plate) and he just crushed it," said Odorizzi, who pitched a career-high 7 1-3 innings and retread the first 11 batters he faced. "It was the right idea, just bad execution."
Adam Wainwright (9-3) became the NL's first nine-game winner, scattering seven hits over seven innings. Trevor Rosenthal got the final four outs, including a base-loaded pop fly by Matt Joyce in the eighth, for his 17th save.
The Cardinals have three consecutive shutouts and 13 this season.
The Rays have not scored in 28 innings while leaving 26 runners on base.
"We got guys out there, we just did not drive them in," manager Joe Maddon said. "It's kind of weird to watch because it just doesn't stay that negative for that long normally. It just doesn't but it has."
The Rays are only the third AL team since 1992 to be shut out 10 times in their first 66 games.
"We hit some good balls, just right at guys," said James Loney, who had two of Tampa Bay's eight hits. "It's frustrating, obviously. But I think every team I've been on has lost eight or 10 in a row at some point. It's not fun, but you kind of prepare yourself for it."
Odorizzi, a Cardinals' fan who grew up about 30 miles from Busch Stadium, had a strong performance in his first game against St. Louis.
"It was the best outing I've ever had in the big leagues," he said..
Odorizzi (2-7) had allowed one baserunner, a fourth-inning walk to Holliday, before giving up consecutive two-out singles in the fifth to Jhonny Peralta and John Jay. The inning ended on a fly ball by Peter Bourjos.
The Rays threatened in both the first and fourth innings. Ben Zobrist hit a fly ball with two on to end the first. Logan Forsythe lined out to second with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth.
NOTES: Former Cardinals manager and Tampa native Tony La Russa will throw the ceremonial first pitch before the finale of the two-game interleague series Wednesday night. La Russa will be inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame on July 27. ... Tampa Bay C Ryan Hanigan (right hamstring tightness) will be reinstated from the DL on Wednesday. C Ali Solis was optioned to Triple-A Durham . . . The Rays signed 2014 first-round draft pick Casey Gillaspie, a 1B out of Wichita State. ... This was the third time that Tampa Bay C Jose Molina and his brother, Cardinals C Yadier Molina, have played against each other in the majors. ... Rays LHP Erik Bedard (3-4) and St Louis RHP Michael Wacha (4-4) are Wednesday's scheduled starters.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/cardinals-hand-rays-3rd-straight-shutout-loss-1-0