Marlins Continue Losing, Fall To Rays 3-1
MIAMI (AP) — Roberto Hernandez looked like a completely different pitcher in this start.
Hernandez bounced back from two rough outings and went 8 2-3 innings, leading the Tampa Bay Rays over Miami 3-1 Wednesday night and sending the Marlins to their season-worst eighth straight loss.
"Primarily he had a nice rhythm, a nice tempo, and I thought he kept getting better all night long," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.
Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar each drove in a run as the Rays won their fourth in row. Tampa Ray has taken 12 of its last 13 against the Marlins and improved to an AL-best 8-1 in interleague play this year.
Click Here to see a slideshow of the game.
The teams played in just 2 hours, 13 minutes.
Hernandez (3-5) allowed a combined 10 runs in six innings during his previous two starts against Baltimore and the New York Yankees. But he limited Miami to just one unearned run and three hits, striking out five.
"Everybody knows my last two times were very, very bad and when they gave me the ball tonight, I didn't think, I tried to throw a good game," Hernandez said.
Chris Coghlan hit a leadoff double in the Miami first and later scored on a throwing error by right fielder Matt Joyce. After Coghlan's hit, Hernandez retired 26 of the next 27 batters, including 15 in a row at one point.
"A really calm Roberto," Rays catcher Jose Molina said. "He was not as hyper as other outings."
Placido Polanco singled with two outs in the ninth, prompting Maddon to lift Hernandez in favor of Fernando Rodney.
"His pitch count was good, but it was still nine times out there and he was sweating pretty good," Maddon said.
The Rays' closer got Derek Dietrich to fly out to earn his 10th save in 15 opportunities.
"I think all emotional benefits were met tonight," Maddon said. "I think 8 2-3 and getting a win benefits Roberto and I think the emotional benefit of a one-out save helps Fernando a bit. That was part of my overall thinking at that point. Both guys could benefit if this thing works out."
Tom Koehler (0-3) gave up three runs and seven hits in eight innings.
"It's always tough when you give up a couple runs in the first," Koehler said. "One run is a little easier. The first run is never the one that's going to going to beat you because you got to score to win. That one never beats you. But when you give up that second run, it puts your team in a hole and every at-bat becomes a battle for them from the beginning and that can't happen."
The Marlins have dropped 15 of their last 17.
"Just another game like we've seen before where we couldn't get anything going offensively," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "... It seems they had 15 guys out there tonight."
The Rays started quickly. Ben Zobrist began the game with a single, Joyce doubled and Johnson hit an RBI single. Evan Longoria grounded into a double play, scoring Joyce.
Escobar added an insurance run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly that drove in James Loney, who doubled and advanced on a single by Desmond Jennings.
Marlins rookie Marcell Ozuna singled in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest active string in the majors.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
