Most individuals who wait on packages to be delivered will tell you that the anticipation of receiving the package will give you anxiety.

They allow thoughts to race through their minds like, “When will the package arrive?”

One would have to believe that the Houston Astros have that mindset as they try to clinch the American League West Division. On Wednesday, Houston allowed another opportunity to secure their fourth AL West title in the last five years slip through their hands as they lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 7-0 at Minute Maid Park.

“The key is, you’re still on the cusp,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “There’s a whole bunch of people who ain’t on the cusp. You’ve got to play the game. Nobody is going to give it to you. They’re playing us tough. We’re playing tough.”

Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning due to an error from Astros center fielder Jose Siri when he misplayed a deep hit to right-center field by Brett Phillips. Siri and right fielder Kyle Tucker nearly collided after Siri overran the fly ball.

“I thought that ball, I was surprised it stayed in the park,” said Baker. “That was a ball that was right in between Siri and Tucker. That was the case where they hadn’t played together much, and then Siri took his eye off the ball to see where Tuck was and when he came back, the ball was behind him. It looked like the ball went the other way instead of hooking. There’s always a danger of giving extra outs. That came back to bite us today.”

The person who took the biggest bite was Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia who gave up a two-run homer to Rays Brandon Lowe on the very next pitch to put the Rays up 3-0. Garcia would give up three more runs in the top of the fifth inning and that would squash any celebration plans Houston had of celebrating.

With the Seattle Mariners defeating the Oakland A’s late Wednesday night, Houston’s magic number remains at 1.