Jake Burger blasted a two-run homer during a three-run third inning as the Miami Marlins earned a split of a two-game series with a 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Marlins rocked red-hot right-hander Taj Bradley (6-5) for four runs on four hits in his five-frame stint. Bradley extended his major-league-best scoreless innings streak to 24 after a clean first before running into trouble. He struck out six and walked one as his ERA rose to 2.71.
Miami’s Xavier Edwards produced three RBIs, Jonah Bride was 2-for-4 with a double and a solo homer and Vidal Brujan went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs.
Marlins starter Roddery Munoz (2-5) allowed two runs on four hits while fanning seven and walking one in five innings as Miami improved to 8-5 in its past 13 outings.
Jonny DeLuca notched two triples and an RBI and Christopher Morel homered in his second straight game with the Rays. Josh Lowe was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a stolen base.
After homering in his Rays debut — Tuesday’s 9-3 win — Morel had an encore in the bottom of the first, scorching a cutter from Munoz around the left field foul pole for a blast that had a 107.3-mph exit velocity. The newcomer’s 20th homer of the season was the 19th surrendered by Munoz.
Bride answered against Bradley leading off the second, lofting his first homer in a Miami uniform to left to knot the game at 1-all. It was the first baseman’s second career long ball and ended Bradley’s scoreless stretch.
DeLuca put the home side back in front by tripling home Richie Palacios with one out in the bottom half of the second, but Munoz stranded him by fanning Taylor Walls and Alex Jackson.
Palacios (right knee discomfort) left the game between the second and third after his awkward slide on a steal of second base.
Miami put up a three-spot in the third against Bradley on a sacrifice fly by Edwards and the two-run homer by Burger, his 15th home run of the year.
Edwards stroked a two-run single in the seventh, giving the Marlins a 6-2 lead. They won for just the fourth time in the past 29 matchups with Tampa Bay.
–Field Level Media
