Starting C Dioner Navarro left the game with what the team said was "a cut on his throwing hand" after the second inning.
Navarro, who grounded out in the first and caught both inning, did not take his turn at bat in the third. Shawn Riggans stepped in, with the bases loaded, and doubled in all three runs.
The Rays already were down one man with OF Jonny Gomes serving a one-game suspension.
With Navarro out and Riggans in the game, the Rays don't have a backup catcher.
Though the Rays haven't said anything offical, it seems unlikely to be a coincidence that veteran Mike Difelice was promptly pulled from the game at Triple-A Durham, putting him in line for a promotion if Navarro's injury is serious.