Drew Rasmussen pitched six scoreless innings, and Yandy Diaz stroked a two-run single as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the host Miami Marlins 4-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Since July of 2018, the Rays are 25-6 against the Marlins in what is unofficially known as the Citrus Bowl baseball series.
With Saturday’s win, the Rays are 10-3 over their past 13 overall road games.
Rasmussen (2-4) allowed just four hits and no walks, striking out five.
Diaz had two of Tampa Bay’s 10 hits and one of the Rays’ four stolen bases.
Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara — the 2022 National League Cy Young Award-winner — lost his sixth straight start, a first in his stellar career.
Alcantara (2-6) lasted five innings, allowing five hits, two walks and four runs.
The Marlins played their second straight game without starting shortstop and leadoff batter Xavier Edwards (back tightness).
Miami had a pair of two-out singles in the first inning before Rasmussen struck out Eric Wagaman.
Tampa Bay opened the scoring in the fifth inning on a rally that started with Jose Caballero’s infield single. He then stole second and third, scoring on Chandler Simpson’s RBI single. Diaz then added his two-run single.
The rally ended when Jonathan Aranda ended his 0-for-13 slump with a broken-bat RBI single. Aranda was left with half a bat … and the RBI.
In the top of the ninth, Brandon Lowe singled, but Marlins center fielder Derek Hill threw Simpson out at the plate. Simpson left the game due to an unspecified injury.
On Sunday, the Rays will try for their third straight series win after taking two of three from Milwaukee and then Toronto.
Two right-handers will start on Sunday. Shane Baz (3-2, 5.02 ERA) will start for Tampa Bay. Cal Quantrill (2-4, 7.00 ERA) will start for Miami.
Quantrill is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in four career starts/appearances against Tampa Bay.
Baz is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his one career start/appearance against Miami.
–Field Level Media
