No overturning result as Rays lose 5-3 in opener at Texas

The Rays had a four-game winning streak snapped in a 5-3 loss to the Texas Rangers Friday night, a rare game in that they didn’t come from behind to win, as they have done 24 times, and they didn’t have their bullpen star late in the game, as it has in most of their victories. The Rangers went ahead on a sac fly in the eighth by Josh Hamilton, who earlier had a 437-foot blast to right-center. For game one at Texas the Rays start Nathan Karns who has allowed 110 hits and 49 earned runs while striking out 121 over 125.1 innings for a 7-5 record and a 3.52 ERA. Beltre and Mitch Moreland hit back-to-back singles to put two men on with only one out. Keuchel then walked Cabrera on four pitches and the Tigers took a 1-0 lead on the groundball RBI single by Victor Martinez. Mike Napoli is 2-for-2 with a double and a walk versus Karns, who gave up two runs in seven innings to beat Texas on May 8.Perez did not receive a decision last time out after permitting three runs (two earned) in six frames of an 11-3 victory at Seattle. Shawn Tolleson worked the ninth for his 22nd save in 23 chances – all since May 20.

Longoria’s two-run double in the third put the Rays up 3-2. They left seven men on while hitting into three double plays and had runners thrown out at second and third. There have never been four. When Casali overslid the base and reached back, Beltre tagged him again, only to have the ball pop out of his glove. That was overturned on replay.

Josh Hamilton is proving he’s still a valuable offensive weapon.

Karns said his struggles were “not at all” nerves or related to pitching in front of family and friends, but “rust”, though he had only one extra day since his last start. But he walked five in his 81 pitches over 4 2/3 innings.

Hamels was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday because of a sore left groin. He threw a bullpen Friday with no problems…. The Rays activated OF Desmond Jennings, who has been out since April with a knee injury, and optioned OF Joey Butler to Triple-A Durham.3. He missed 96 games because of left knee bursitis. The burly 230-pound Gattis is second in the majors with nine triples this season after he hit just one in his first two seasons combined. C Robinson Chirinos, out since July 31 with a left shoulder strain, took batting practice Friday.

Notable: Hamilton’s homer was his first since August 2 against the Giants.

Now the right-hander will be the one standing on the Globe Life Park mound as he makes his first start back home.