Javier Sanoja was 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs as the host Miami Marlins knotted their three-game series with the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays in a 4-3 win on Saturday afternoon.
Otto Lopez notched two hits, and Esteury Ruiz scored a run, walked three times, stole a base and was hit by a pitch.
In a bullpen game, the Marlins led with Lake Bachar and used seven pitchers in the middle matchup of the Citrus Series.
The right-handed Bachar was perfect over his three innings, while striking out three. John King (3-1) notched the win.
Over five-plus innings, Rays starter Shane McClanahan (6-3) surrendered four runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and two walks. The left-hander lost for the first time in eight starts dating back to April 19.
Yandy Diaz was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a double, but the Rays had only five hits collectively.
The Rays did not reach base through four innings, thanks largely to a spectacular sliding catch by Miami center fielder Ruiz on Diaz’s fourth-inning liner.
McClanahan allowed only a walk and Sanoja’s bunt single through four innings.
The Marlins were forced to play around Sanoja’s throwing error leading off the fifth. However, King, after hitting Cedric Mullins, induced a double-play grounder by Taylor Walls.
The third baseman put the home side up 1-0 leading off the fifth when he drove McClanahan’s 88 mph slider an estimated 362 feet to left for his second homer.
Ruiz walked after the solo shot, stole second and advanced to third on catcher Nick Fortes’ throwing error. Joe Mack soon launched a one-out deep double to add to the lead.
Mesa singled to open the sixth, and Diaz added a single for the Rays’ second scoring threat. But reliever Calvin Faucher fanned Jonathan Aranda and got a groundout from Junior Caminero to keep it 2-0.
In the sixth, Sanoja’s RBI single helped chase McClanahan. Liam Hicks made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly.
Diaz’s double put the Rays on the board in the eighth, but reliever Michael Petersen fanned Caminero and worked a groundout from Palacios.
A passed ball and Diaz’s RBI single cut it to 4-3 against closer Pete Fairbanks, but Tyler Zuber whiffed Caminero on five pitches with the bases full for his first career save.
–Field Level Media
