Maybe the Rays need to find some middle ground.

Thursday, they scored 13 runs and rapped 14 hits to beat the Astros to open a four-game series. Friday, they were held to three hits and one run and got walked off .

Saturday, they piled up 16 runs and a season-high 18 hits , including five home runs as part of a franchise-record-tying 12 extra-base hits, in a big win.

Then Sunday, they managed just two hits and went down meekly, shut out 1-0 in splitting the series.

The loss, just the third in their last 12 games, dropped the Rays to 30-29.

Rays starter Taj Bradley had a dazzling seven-inning outing, giving up just an unearned run in an odd first inning; he faced five Astros batters, and each swung at the first pitch.

Jeremy Pena hit a grounder to third that Junior Caminero mispl

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