Taylor Walls’ fourth-inning triple plated three for the Tampa Bay Rays, who beat the visiting Miami Marlins 6-3 Sunday and took two-of-three in the rivalry weekend series in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Drew Rasmussen (4-1) gave up seven hits and a pair of walks over 5 1/3 innings, but the Rays right-hander yielded just two runs as he won for the second consecutive start.
Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz homered off Marlins pitcher Eury Perez (2-6), who saw his personal losing streak extend to five starts. Caminero’s solo shot, his team-best 12th home run of the season, came in the first to give the Rays an early lead.
Miami jumped ahead with a two-run third thanks to RBI singles by Xavier Edwards (2-for-5) and Otto Lopez (2-for-4).
That lead lasted until the Rays’ fourth. Diaz started the inning with a walk. An out later, Jonny DeLuca (2-for-4) doubled and Cedric Mullins drew a walk to load the bases. Perez and Nick Fortes battled for eight pitches before Diaz was forced at home on a fielder’s choice.
However, Walls, the Rays’ nine-hole hitter, jumped on the first pitch he saw, smacking a fly ball to deep center that bounced off the wall to give Tampa Bay a two-run lead. The Rays shortstop has now hit safely in six straight games for the second time this season.
Diaz’ seventh homer came in the bottom of the fifth, extending the lead to three. Caminero walked with the bases loaded in the following inning. Miami outhit Tampa Bay 11-7, but Marlins pitchers gave up six bases on balls.
The Marlins had two runners on base in both the fifth and sixth innings, but saw those threats end with double plays.
They finally chipped away in the eighth, with Kyle Stowers’ single off Garrett Clevenger plated Lopez, who reached with a one-out double. Connor Norby doubled, and Jakob Marsee (2-for-3) walked to load the bases, chasing the reliever. However, Ian Seymour struck out Leo Jimenez, and pinch-hitter Heriberto Hernandez lined out to end the inning.
Bryan Baker allowed only a hit in the ninth to earn his 12th save and give the Rays their 12th victory in 15 games this month.
Perez went five innings, allowing five runs, five hits and four walks. He fanned five in a laborious 102-pitch outing.
