Mason Barnett #63 of the Athletics pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on August 11, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif.— Coming off a disastrous bullpen implosion on Monday night against the Rays, the A’s looked to flip the script and get back in the win column on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park.

Unfortunately for the A’s, they sealed their fate of another losing series as they fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 12-4.

Mason Barnett took the ball for the A’s to start the game in what was his 17th appearance for the club and his third start of the season. Barnett, much like Lopez yesterday in the first inning, gave up the lead immediately as the Rays took a 2-0 lead three batters into the game on a two-run shot. From there, Barnett continued to struggle with the long ball as he gave up two more home runs during his outing. Mason went a total of four innings in the game while giving up six runs (five earned) on five hits, while walking three and striking out no Rays hitters.

Mark Kotsay said that Barnett tweaked his hip during the game and that they hope he can continue to pitch with no setback. As for the performance Tuesday, Kotsay spoke on Barnett going as long as he could.

“He pitched that fourth inning knowing that he wanted to go out and give us as much as he possibly could … just the execution portion of his pitches (was lacking).”

In the bullpen, it was Brady Basso who was first out as he tried to keep the game where it was in hopes of an A’s comeback. Basso pitched OK, giving up one run on three hits across two innings of work while striking out two, but it was a solo home run that the Rays did their damage on.

In the seventh inning, Mark Kotsay turned to Elvis Alvarado next. Alvarado struggled, giving up two runs on one hit and a walk in his one inning of relief.

In the eighth inning, with the game mostly in the books, the A’s turned to Yunior Tur to get the final six outs of the game. Tur, like his fellow relievers, struggled to get outs as he gave up three runs in the eighth inning. In the ninth, Tur was able to settle in and retire the side in order, but the damage was already done by the Rays in the inning prior. Tur tossed two innings of three-run, two-hit baseball while walking no one and striking out three hitters.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s did their scoring in the middle of the game as the offense dried up in the later innings, aside from a ninth-inning burst. The A’s managed four runs on eight hits while not walking at all in the ballgame.

The A’s first two runs of the game came in the fourth inning when Lawrence Butler sent a long drive over the right-center-field wall for a two-run home run. Butler’s blast was his eighth of the season and tallied his 31st and 32nd RBIs of the year as he drove in Jacob Wilson, who singled two batters earlier.

The A’s scored two runs late in the game on a Carlos Cortes two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was the 13th double of the year for Cortes and RBIs 29 and 30.

That was all the offense the A’s could muster as they went away quietly without much of a fight late in the game other than the brief ninth-inning rally.

With the loss, the A’s fell to 47-73 while the Rays improved to 73-46 on the year.

On Wednesday, the A’s and Rays will wrap up their three-game series with a matinee affair at 12:05 p.m. PDT. The A’s will send Jack Perkins (2-8, 7.04 ERA) to the hill while the Rays will start Drew Rasmussen (11-5, 2.75 ERA).

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.