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The Tampa Bay Rays are simply running out of time.

Needing a strong conclusion to their seven-game homestand, the Rays lost for the third time in four outings Monday and will look to even it up against the Minnesota Twins in the second game of their four-game set Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The opener Monday started with fireworks as Minnesota built a 4-2 lead behind a three-run laser from Trevor Larnach, whose 15th homer gave the American League Central club some separation.

After starter Simeon Woods Richardson, who pitched into the fourth inning, the Twins’ bullpen zipped through 4 1/3 innings and gave up just one run — a solo homer to Jonny DeLuca in the eighth — before turning to closer Jhoan Duran.

The fireballer locked it down with a perfect ninth, getting the major’s top prospect Junior Caminero with an offspeed pitch for a check-swing strikeout to end the fourth meeting between the teams.

Minnesota squared the season series at 2. All four contests have been decided by one run.

Usually very solid in one-run games, the Rays (67-70) were doomed by unsuccessful at-bats with runners in scoring position, finishing 1-for-9.

Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said before the game that his club had to get “hotter than hot” over the final 25 games for a wild-card spot, but Monday was just more of the same.

“It’s tough, no doubt,” Cash said after his team fell three games below .500 for the first time since June 22. “We talked about the importance of this series. It’s a challenge. We’ve got to find a way to come back, win tomorrow and see where the next couple of games go.”

The Twins (75-62) gained a game in the hunt for the second wild-card spot as the Kansas City Royals (75-64) lost for the sixth straight time, 4-2, to the Cleveland Guardians.

Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli, who earned his 450th career win, said the matchup quickly became a bullpen game.

His relievers allowed four hits, struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter.

“It should be a confidence boost for our group,” Baldelli said of his relief corps. “There were a lot of calls to the bullpen, more than most games. … I told them it’s basically going to be a bullpen kind of battle between both teams.

“Our (relievers) were great. Some of them were fresh, some of them were far from fresh. But we got the win, and that’s the most important thing.”

Tampa Bay’s Jeffrey Springs will make his seventh start as the left-hander continues to regain his form after Tommy John surgery 16 months ago.

In his most recent outing last Tuesday in Seattle, Springs (1-2, 3.67 ERA) made his best start of 2024. He allowed just one hit in five shutout innings with nine strikeouts and two walks, but had to settle for a no-decision.

Over one start and one relief appearance against the Twins, Springs is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 6 1/3 innings. Minnesota has managed just two hits and two walks against him, with six strikeouts.

Rookie right-hander David Festa (2-4, 4.89) will appear in his 10th game for the Twins and make his ninth career start and first against the Rays.

The Seton Hall product has lost his last two starts to the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals.

–Field Level Media