The Tampa Bay Rays received a much-needed seven strong innings from Tyler Glasnow, who struck out eight in a 4-1 victory over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Glasnow (4-3) yielded one run on two hits and two walks as the Rays took the opener of the interleague series with the Marlins, who dropped their 10th straight road game.
Rays relievers Jason Adam and Pete Fairbanks each followed with a perfect inning, with Fairbanks logging his 12th save.
Tampa Bay entered the series having lost seven of its last eight but now is in position to sweep the two-game series, which wraps up on Wednesday afternoon.
Brandon Lowe had three hits, including his 11th home run, for the Rays. Miami was limited to two hits, singles from Jesus Sanchez in the second inning and Jon Berti in the sixth.
Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera (5-6) worked just two innings and was replaced due to a recurring blister issue. Cabrera was charged with three runs on four hits with two walks and no strikeouts.
George Soriano threw 3 1/3 innings of relief, allowing one run after taking over for the Miami starter.
The Rays did their damage off Cabrera in a three-run second inning, sending eight batters to the plate.
Josh Lowe opened the scoring with a two-out RBI single, and Yandy Diaz delivered a two-run double.
Physically, it was a rough frame for the Marlins. Center fielder Sanchez jarred his left shoulder making a diving attempt on Brandon Lowe’s single that started the rally. And during Josh Lowe’s at-bat, catcher Jacob Stallings was shaken up when Cabrera’s breaking ball in the dirt bounced up and struck him in the neck. Both players remained in the game.
In the third inning, the Rays had an injury concern of their own, as Diaz exited due to left groin tightness.
The Marlins got on the board in the third inning. Joey Wendle, who led off the frame with a walk, came home from third on Glasnow’s two-out wild pitch to Luis Arraez.
The Rays padded their lead to 4-1 in the sixth on Brandon Lowe’s home run on Soriano’s first pitch of the inning.
–Field Level Media
