Athletics Get Steamrolled in Tampa Bay as Rays Cruise 10-1

The Athletics limped into Tropicana Field and got exactly what you'd expect when a rebuilding squad meets a team with actual playoff aspirations. Final score: Rays 10, Athletics 1, and it wasn't even that close.

Tampa Bay did what good teams do to bad teams—they jumped early and never looked back. The Rays' offense clicked on all cylinders, piling up runs while Oakland's pitching staff served up batting practice fastballs. By the time the A's scratched across their lone run, this one was already decided, probably sometime around the third inning when the Rays had already built a comfortable cushion.

Oakland's offense? Nonexistent. One run doesn't cut it in Triple-A, let alone the majors. The Athletics are fielding what amounts to a glorified farm system right now, and nights like this remind everyone why they're basement dwellers. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay's pitching staff kept the A's hitters guessing all night, limiting the damage to that single pity run.

DarkHorse didn't touch this one with a published pick, which in hindsight looks like the smartest move of the night. Sometimes the best bet is no bet at all, especially when one team is clearly playing a different sport than the other.