Instant Analysis: Five takeaways from A's streak-snapping loss to Rays

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OAKLAND — On a sleepy night at the Coliseum, the A’s bats decided to go into hibernation.

The A’s were held to a season low-tying two hits and lost 3-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays to snap their three-game winning streak coming out of the All-Star break.

The game was played in front of the smallest crowd at the Coliseum in six years. Just 9,736 were on hand, the sparsest turnout since 9,193 showed up on May 2, 2011, when the A’s rewarded those who showed with a walk-off victory over the Texas Rangers.

No such good fortune for the faithful Monday night.

Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi (6-4) struck out five over seven innings as Tampa Bay moved to within two games of American League East-leading Boston.

Here’s five things you need to know from Monday:

GOOD AND THE BAD FOR GOSSETT: Rookie Daniel Gossett (1-5) completed seven innings for the first time in his seven major league starts. He gave up just three runs and, with a little help from his offense, could have been in position to win. With a slim margin for error, a couple of mistakes proved costly. Gossett served up solo homers to Steven Souza Jr. and Evan Longoria, giving him 10 homers allowed in seven starts.

DEFENSIVE DOINGS: The A’s turned in a couple very nice defensive plays, but a key sequence played out in the top of the third that helped push one of the Rays’ runs across. With runners on the corners and one out, shortstop Marcus Semien couldn’t cleanly field Evan Longoria’s grounder, and had to settle for a force out at second rather than a potential inning-ending double play. Mallex Smith scored on the play.

THE LONE HIGHLIGHT: Khris Davis lined a homer to right-center in the fourth for the only damage off Odorizzi. It was the 26th of the season for Davis. The A’s only other run came when Yonder Alonso scored on a wild pitch in the ninth.

NEW GUY IN THE ‘PEN: Blake Treinen, obtained Sunday in the trade that sent Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson to the Nationals, pitched a scoreless eighth and hit 99 miles per hour on the stadium radar gun. The right-hander, a 2011 draft pick of the A’s, said he was enthusiastic about his return to Oakland.

“I’m excited to be back here, where it started,” Treinen said before the game. “I was drafted by these guys. They gave me a chance in pro ball.”

Treinen projects as a late-inning setup man who will be asked to get the ball to closer Santiago Casilla.

SMITH’S ENCORE: After pitching well in Seattle in the first major league start of his career, 36-year-old Chris Smith will draw a second start Tuesday night with the A’s sending Jharel Cotton to Nashville for a rehab start Wednesday. If all goes well, Cotton is likely to rejoin Oakland’s rotation after that. Kendall Graveman is scheduled to pitch in that same game for the Sounds on Wednesday as he continues his road back from a shoulder injury. Graveman is eyeing an early August return.

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