ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- For the second night in a row and for the third time in a week, the Tampa Bay Rays didn't get a baserunner in the first five innings, as Danny Salazar took a perfect game into the sixth and the Cleveland Indians cruised to a 6-2 win on Tuesday at Tropicana Field.

Cleveland (35-41) got a combined two-hitter on the mound for the second night in a row, and the Indians also got late home runs from rookie third baseman Giovanny Urshela and designated hitter David Murphy.

The Rays (42-37) have now dropped seven of nine games.

"He had such a good fastball and he used it a lot," Indians manager Terry Francona said of Salazar. "When you get good pitching, we score one and then you're able to tack on ... We played some really good defense."

The Rays, who didn't have a baserunner until the seventh inning Monday and until the eighth on Wednesday, ended a perfect game bid Tuesday with a walk to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera in the sixth.

"Similar to last night a little bit. Credit good pitching on their end," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Our bats are just a little quiet right now. ... The bats, they're going to come alive. We're in one of those ruts and we didn't get out of it tonight."

Tampa Bay's bullpen, which gave up five runs in the final two innings Monday, let a close game get away in the seventh, as reliever Steve Geltz gave up a single and a walk, then a three-run home run by Urshela, his second of the year.

Reliever Kirby Yates gave up a double to left fielder Michael Brantley in the eighth, then a two-run home run by Murphy, his sixth.

After the game, the Rays optioned Yates to Triple-A Durham and designated reliever Ronald Belisario, who had struggled in Monday's loss, for assignment. No corresponding moves were announced.

The Rays ended the shutout in the eighth on an RBI double by Cabrera, their second hit of the night, and he scored on a throwing error by Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor.

Rays starter Erasmo Ramirez gave up two hits in 5 2/3 innings, and Geltz gave up three in the seventh alone.

"I'm not frustrated at all. These guys have been great," Cash said. "I don't sense a ton of frustration in the clubhouse or during the game. We're getting pitched well against us and we're not seeing the ball as well as we'd like."

For the second night in a row, the Rays struggled to get a baserunner against strong Indians pitching. The day after Cody Anderson took a perfect game into the seventh inning, Salazar retired the first 15 Rays in order. He gave up a walk leading off the sixth. After a ground-ball double play, catcher Curt Casali doubled for Tampa Bay's first hit.

"It was a double. I was winning the game, so I tried to stay calm and finish my job," said Salazar (7-3), who pitched 7 2/3 innings, giving up just two hits and two runs, one earned.

Ramirez held the Indians to one hit and one run in the first five innings. That hit was a third-inning solo home run by second baseman Jason Kapnis, his sixth of the year.

Tampa Bay came into the night having scored one or zero runs three times in its previous eight games, this after doing so just twice in the previous 21 games.

NOTES: The Rays signed their first-round draft pick, OF Garrett Whitley of Niskayuna (N.Y.) High. Whitley got to meet current players before Tuesday's game and took part in batting practice with the team. He will report to Port Charlotte, Fla., to the Rays' rookie-league affiliate in the Gulf Coast League. ... The Rays had three players suited up for high Class A Charlotte on rehab assignments. RHP Andrew Bellatti (shoulder) threw two innings, with 1B James Loney (finger) and DH John Jaso (wrist) also playing. Loney, who went 1-for-4, is the closest to returning and could rejoin the team by the weekend. Jaso went 0-for-3 ... The United Church of Christ brought petitions to the Indians' offices, asking for the team to change its nickname and drop the Chief Wahoo logo.