By Kahlil Najar

An error in the fifth inning put runners in the corners for the Rays and third baseman Evan Longoria hit a three run homer to give the Rays a comfortable lead and the victory as the Ray beats the A’s 5-2.

“It’s like everyone is in the same boat. We just want to pull our hair out with what’s going on,”said Scott Kazmir (2-3) who went 5 2/3 innings and gave up two earned runs. The A’s are now on a four game losing streak and have only won twice in the last 16 games.

The A’s also left 12 men on base which has been an Achilles heel for them as of late as they always seem to get some great hits but aren’t able to drive some runs home.

Catcher Stephen Vogt said, “Everyone is trying to do more, do more. Everyone wants to step up and get the big hit instead of just moving the line like we were doing earlier in the season. That’s something we’ve got to get back to.”

A’s Head Coach Bob Melvin echoed Vogt’s sentiments, “That’s what we’re struggling with now. We’re getting runners on, but we’re not getting big hits, and we make one error and it blows up on us.”

The A’s got on the board first in the top of the fourth inning when Stephen Vogt hit his 10th homer of the year on a line drive to right field. The Rays answered back with the Longoria 3-Run shot in the bottom of the fifth and then went on to smack two more solo shots in the seventh and eighth.

The A’s were able to scrape up a run in the top of the ninth on a Billy Butler sacrifice fly but then ended the game with a Vogt strikeout.

Oakland hopes to get something going tomorrow when they send Kendall Graveman (1-2, 8.27) against the Rays Nate Karns (3-1, 3.77). Game time 1:10pm PST.