CHICAGO — Shane McClanahan gave the Rays a strong six innings on a cold night, but the bullpen let them down in a 4-2 loss to the Cubs.
Reliever Jason Adam put on the first two batters he faced in the seventh, hitting Seiya Suzuki and walking pinch-hitter Jonathan Villar. Adam struck out Patrick Wisdom, then was replaced by Jeffrey Springs.
The lefty got out Clint Frazier, then allowed a two-out single to Ian Happ to put the Cubs ahead to stay. They added another run in the eighth when Frank Schwindel homered off new Rays reliever Javy Guerra.
The Rays (5-6) played without multi-talented shortstop Wander Franco, who was scratched from the lineup about an hour before game time due to right quad tightness.
The game was played in frigid conditions, including snow flurries, with a first-pitch temperature of 40 degrees and a “feels like” of 34 that dropped into the high 20s during the middle innings.
McClanahan didn’t seem to care, taking the mound in short sleeves — the only player in the lineup for either team to do so — and recording a career-high nine strikeouts while working a team season-high six innings.
McClanahan really made only one mistake, allowing a two-run home run to Wisdom, and a 420-foot blast at that on a 96.5-mph fastball, two batters after a throwing error by shortstop Taylor Walls to open the second.
Otherwise, McClanahan was dominant, allowing just three other singles and no walks while striking out nine of the first 17 Cubs, seven swinging.
The Rays needed a couple innings to warm up, then tied the score off Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks and chased him in the fifth.
Rookie Josh Lowe had a hand in both runs. He singled to open the fourth and stole second, then scored on a out-out single by Ji-Man Choi.
In the fifth, Lowe came up with Brett Phillips on second, after a single and a steal, and a walk to Walls, and singled to right. The Rays had a chance for more when reliever Keegan Thompson took over, but Randy Arozarena swung at the first pitch and grounded into a double play.
