Connor Norby smacked a three-run double, leading the host Miami Marlins to a 9-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.
The Rays allowed 13 hits and seven walks, and Tampa Bay also committed one error.
Miami starter Max Meyer (3-4) stayed in the game long enough to earn the win despite getting hit by two line drives. He lasted five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and no walks. Meyer struck out seven.
Norby and Javier Sanoja each had two hits for the Marlins, who have won two in a row. Jesus Sanchez scored three runs.
Rays starter Taj Bradley (3-3) was tagged five runs on six hits and three walks in four innings. He fanned six.
Chandler Simpson went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs for Tampa Bay, and Jose Caballero added two hits and an RBI.
Miami scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-1 lead. Ramirez drew a bases-loaded walk before Norby cleared the bases with his 390-foot double just off the tip of Simpson’s glove at the wall in left-center.
Tampa Bay cut its deficit to 5-4 in the fifth. Kameron Misner, who was drafted by the Marlins in 2016, started the rally with a single. The Rays then cashed in with three RBI hits: Caballero (double), Simpson (single) and Josh Lowe (single).
Miami padded its lead to 9-4 in the sixth as Kyle Stowers, Eric Wagaman and Sanoja stroked RBI singles, and Ronny Simon added a sacrifice fly. Simpson made a sliding catch near the left field line on Simon’s fly or the damage would have been worse.
Earlier, Miami loaded the bases with one out in the first as Sanchez singled, Agustin Ramirez doubled and Stowers was hit by a pitch. Wagaman picked up the RBI with a sacrifice fly.
Tampa Bay tied the score 1-1 in the third as Simpson singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Yandy Diaz’s single off Meyer’s right shin, just above his ankle.
Diaz hit the ball 112 mph.
In the fourth inning, Meyer was struck again. This time, the ball — hit by Junior Caminero at 90 mph — glanced off of Meyer’s left hamstring and bounced to shortstop Sanoja. Caminero was thrown out at first.
–Field Level Media
