ARLINGTON, Texas — All-Star Shane McClanahan’s return from the injured list was dazzling for his first five innings Monday night, then turned frustrating in the sixth.
And that eventually led to a disappointing ending for the Rays, who lost 3-2 to the Rangers.
The Rays grabbed an early 2-0 lead and held it until the sixth, when McClanahan, who allowed one hit through five innings, gave up a leadoff single and a homer that made it 2-2.
Then the Rays lost in the ninth inning, and on a wild pitch by closer Pete Fairbanks at that. Rookie Josh Jung greeted Fairbanks by lacing a double to centerfield, then moved to third on a one-out ground out by Nathaniel Lowe. He scored as Fairbanks’ 2-1 pitch bounced past catcher Christian Bethancourt.
The Rays (60-37) did remain in sole possession of first place in the American League East, as the second-place Orioles, who were a game back, saw their eight-game winning streak snapped by the Dodgers.
McClanahan, pitching for the first time since June 30 when a recurrence of back tightness landed him on the injured list, was sharp from the start. He actually allowed a leadoff single to Marcus Semien, but then got Corey Seager to ground into a double play, the start of a streak of setting down 14 straight Rangers.
McClanahan was in control and command, mixing all four pitches, hitting 99 mph with his fastball, striking out six while walking none, throwing 52 of his 69 pitches for strikes over the six innings.
His trouble came in his final inning. Robbie Grossman reached on an infield single on a ball Wander Franco made a dive for deep in the hole, then the two-run home run by Ezequiel Duran.
With Yandy Diaz back in the lineup after a weekend attending to his newborn son, the Rays grabbed the early lead against University of Florida product Dane Dunning.
Diaz led off the game with a single, went to second on Franco’s walk, third on Luke Raley’s infield out and scored on Randy Arozarena’s sac fly.
They made it 2-0 in the second when Josh Lowe showed off in front of older brother Nathaniel, the Rangers’ first baseman, by hitting a 399-foot homer to center. With their mom, Wendy, who went through a recent health scare, and a handful of other family and friends cheering in the stands, Josh took a quick glance at his brother as he rounded first.
