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(Sports Network) - While there's never really a good time to be suffering through a losing streak, the Tampa Bay Rays have chosen the end of the first half of the season to have their worst stretch. The club now has lost five in a row as it plays the third of four games against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field tonight.

Winning seven in a row against the likes of Pittsburgh, Boston and Kansas City now seems like a distant memory, and in the life of a baseball team it probably is, since the Rays are now a mere 1 1/2 games ahead of the Red Sox for first place in the American League East after last night's disappointing showing.

For the second time in its last four outings Tampa Bay failed to score a single run, this time bowing to Cleveland by a score of 5-0 on Friday night. Then again, most of the credit should be given to Indians starter Cliff Lee, who struck out seven and walked only one while yielding five hits over six innings of work before the bullpen took over.

Tampa Bay starter James Shields didn't have as much luck, as he allowed five runs on 10 hits in six innings of action.

Cleveland's Jhonny Peralta finished with a pair of hits and three RBI, while Ben Francisco had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and scored twice for the victors.

Ben Zobrist and Carlos Pena each had a pair of hits for the Rays in the losing cause. The most recent addition to the AL All-Star roster, Evan Longoria, contributed a double but also struck out two times for Tampa in the setback.

Slated to make the start for the Rays tonight is Matt Garza as he takes aim at his eighth win of the campaign.

The right-hander, who is 15-17 in his career overall and 0-1 versus the Tribe, last pitched on Monday against Kansas City and came out on the losing end of a 7-4 decision. The Fresno State product allowed three runs on nine hits and a pair of walks, while striking out five in 6 2/3 innings.

Back in the big leagues for the first time since 2005, Matt Ginter gets his first-ever start for the Indians when he takes the hill tonight.

Ginter, who last pitched at the major league level in September 2005 with the Detroit Tigers, had been down with Triple-A Buffalo before being called up following Friday's game.

For a career that is listed at six years, the right-hander has a record of 4-4 with a lofty 5.46 ERA, stemming mostly from relief appearances. This will be his first-ever start against the Rays.

Heading into play on Friday night, it was the pitching that had kept the Rays at the top of their game for so long this season. The squad was tied for third in the AL in team ERA with a mark of 3.70 and had generated eight shutouts and five complete games.

From an offensive standpoint, Longoria paces the club in batting with a .281 average, 16 home runs and 53 RBIs.

On the Cleveland side, Grady Sizemore's 22 home runs, 52 RBI and 21 stolen bases all lead the Tribe, while Lee continues to befuddle opposing batters with his 2.31 ERA and 12 wins as he prepares to head to New York for next week's Midsummer Classic at Yankee Stadium.

The Indians won eight of 10 meetings with Tampa Bay last year, taking all four contests at home. Off to a positive start now in 2008, Cleveland is 16-3 in the last 19 matchups with the Rays, going 10-0 at home over that span.