Rookie lefty Zach Britton is back under .500 after winning three straight decisions to get to 9-9.

Monday’s 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays dropped him to 9-10 with a 4.43 ERA. Just when Britton looked like he had recaptured what made him so good in the first two months of his career, he’s had consecutive less-than-stellar performances.

To Britton’s credit, that really bothers him.

“Real frustrating, because I feel like I have kind of got over that hump and it is just now about throwing strikes and not putting myself in tough situations by walking people,” he said. “So if you eliminate those, I am fine.”

Britton allowed five hits in five innings, but he also gave up a career-high-tying four walks. He struck out two and was charged with four earned runs.

“I left some balls up in situations where I put guys on and made a lot more stress for myself. I didn’t execute a lot of 2-0 counts,” he said. “And it’s a lot easier to hit when you are comfortable and you’re ahead.”

Britton probably has three more starts left this season to get back over .500 and to get double-digit wins. So there’s plenty of incentive for him.

But the competitive rookie wanted to play spoiler Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays, whom he had beaten twice in his first three starts.

“We all know that they’re in the battle for it, they are playing really well. So I actually want to go out them and beat them. You don’t want them to get it on your clock,” he said. “So I was really disappointed that I didn’t put together a good effort and got us in a hole early and we couldn’t put it together.”