Littell Stung by Homers, Lack of Support as Rays Drop Series Opener to D-backs

Zack Littell gave the Rays what they needed on the mound Tuesday night at Chase Field — but once again, it wasn’t enough.

The right-hander delivered a quality start, allowing three runs over six innings, but two home runs proved costly in Tampa Bay’s 5-1 loss to the Diamondbacks. It was a frustratingly familiar outcome for Littell, who has received two runs or fewer of support in 22 of his last 25 starts, dating back to May 2023.

“We’re just not playing great baseball as a team,” Littell said after the loss. “It’s not where we want to be. I’ve got to do my part and trust that eventually it’s going to click for all of us.”

Littell worked around traffic early but got burned twice — once in the third, when he fell behind Pavin Smith 3-0, battled back, and then gave up a 420-foot go-ahead two-run shot on a high fastball. Then in the fifth, he left a 2-1 slider over the plate that Tim Tawa deposited into the left-field seats. Those two swings were the only damage against Littell, but they proved decisive.

The Rays’ offense, meanwhile, continued to sputter. They managed just one run all night, going 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranding five. Their best chance came in the eighth when Chandler Simpson and Brandon Lowe reached base to bring Yandy Díaz to the plate against former Ray Jalen Beeks. But Díaz chased a changeup out of the zone and grounded into an inning-ending double play.

“Six innings and three runs — we should be in those games and have a real chance to win them,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We just couldn’t get anything going offensively.”

Díaz, who’s hitting just .213, voiced his frustration through interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “Things just aren’t going the way I want them to,” he said. “I’m working hard, everybody’s working hard. It’s just not going our way right now.”

The Rays dropped to 9-14, losing for the sixth time in their last seven games and 13th in their last 18. After starting the year with 19 of their first 22 games at home, they opened their first real road trip of the season by falling to a season-worst five games below .500 — matching their lowest point from all of last season.

Despite Littell’s solid effort and strong bullpen work late, the Rays were simply outslugged and out-executed. They also couldn’t take advantage of a rare off night from Arizona’s top hitters. The wind blowing in and some solid defense from the D-backs didn’t help Tampa Bay’s cause either.

“I think the guys are grinding, but we’ve got to start stringing complete games together,” Littell said. “You give up three runs in six, you feel like you should have a chance to win. We just haven’t gotten over that hump yet.”

With little margin for error, Littell’s small mistakes became magnified — and once again, the Rays couldn’t back him up.

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