Rays can't get anything going vs. Ohka

ST. PETERSBURG -- Casey Fossum used the Brewers to air-condition the building, but in between the many strikeout victims accrued by the Rays left-hander were two blemishes that resulted in four runs.
And those four runs were the only stat that mattered Tuesday night, since the Rays generated no runs in a 4-0 loss to the Brewers in front of an announced crowd of 8,897 at Tropicana Field.

The Brewers' victory ended the Rays' two-game win streak.

Fossum tied a career high by striking out 10 Brewers in seven innings of work in his fifth start since leaving the bullpen for the starting rotation on May 17. The total was the most by a Rays pitcher since Victor Zambrano struck out 10 on April 29, 2004, and the highest by a Rays pitcher inside Tropicana Field since Joe Kennedy struck out 10 against the Yankees on May 9, 2002.

Unfortunately for the Rays, the Brewers got to Fossum in the first inning after the left-hander walked the leadoff batter. Brady Clark and Rickie Weeks followed with singles before Lyle Overbay's double drove in both for a 2-0 lead.

In the sixth, Fossum surrendered three consecutive singles to Bill Hall, Damian Miller and Wes Helms to take a 4-0 lead.

"It was one of those games where I got better as the game went along," Fossum said. "I was antsy a little in the first inning, but I settled in and started throwing. My curveball and slider were working great today. They kept chasing that fastball up in the strike zone. It's frustrating not getting any runs. But, you know, I did my best to keep us in there."

Fossum threw 120 pitches, the most by a Rays starter all season.

"I told [Rays manager] Lou [Piniella] that I haven't done that since college," Fossum said.

Fossum's seven-inning, four-run performance was "very acceptable" in Piniella's eyes, but he added: "[We] just didn't have any offense."

Meanwhile, Brewers starter Tomo Ohka did his best to validate the Brewers' belief in him in his first start for his new team. Ohka came to the Brewers on Friday in a trade that sent second baseman Junior Spivey to the Nationals.

"After joining the Brewers, I was thankful for the opportunity to show what I am capable of," Ohka said. "I did not think I could get a complete-game shutout. I don't really care about what I did; the team winning was more important."

Fossum talked about how quickly Ohka worked. "It was a quick inning every time," Fossum said. "It seemed like by the time I sat down and got something to drink, I was already getting ready to get back out there. ... I came in [the clubhouse] and watched [Ohka] on TV the last two innings. He was just painting that fastball on the outside corner."

Piniella cited Ohka's ability to throw strikes and stay ahead in the count against the Rays' hitters for helping him complete the shutout, the third time the Rays have been shut out this season.

"We only had a couple of chances," Piniella said.

The Rays' first opportunity came in the second, when Ohka hit Damon Hollins to lead off the inning; Travis Lee followed with a single. Then Ohka got tough, striking out Jonny Gomes and Toby Hall before retiring Nick Green on a groundout back to the box.

Ohka, who joined the team on Saturday, then put his pitching on cruise control until the eighth, when the Rays loaded the bases with one out. But Hollins hit into a 6-4-3 double play, allowing Ohka to escape the jam.

"Outside of [the two threats], he set us down pretty good," Piniella said. "He threw a lot of strikes, a lot of strikes. He moved the ball around, changed speeds. It was a good pitching performance."

Ohka pitched the ninth, finishing off his first career shutout when he retired Green on a popout to right field to end the game.

"[Ohka] goes about his business real quietly, real professionally," said Brewers manager Ned Yost. "He keeps the hitters off balance."

Source: http://tampabay.devilrays.mlb.com/