T. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Xavier Edwards drove in three runs, and Jake Burger and Jonah Bride homered to help Roddery Muñoz beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 Wednesday for the rookie’s first win in nearly three months.
Edwards had a sacrifice fly and two-run single for the Marlins, who overcame a pair of one-run deficits to salvage a two-game split and send Taj Bradley (6-5) to his first loss since June 8.
Muñoz (2-5), a 24-year-old right-hander, had been 0-5 in 10 starts since beating Colorado on May 1 for his first major league win. He allowed two runs and four hits while striking out seven over five innings. He gave up a solo homer to Christopher Morel in the first and RBI triple to Jonny DeLuca in the second.
“The confidence I have received from my manager and coaching staff have been very very helpful,” Muñoz said through an interpreter. “I had good days and bad days, but you know I always try to go out there and make sure I compete and give everything I got.”
Bradley had won three straight starts and was 5-0 in eight outings since consecutive losses to Baltimore in early June. He had not allowed a run in 24 consecutive innings — the longest active streak in the majors — before Bride went deep in the second inning. Burger homered for the second straight game, a two-run shot that gave the Marlins a 4-2 lead in the third.
Rays manager Kevin Cash felt Bradley was not quite as sharp as he had been over his previous eight outings, which included a stretch of three straight starts of six-plus scoreless innings entering Wednesday.
“Still, I thought he kept us in the ballgame when it wasn’t coming easy for him,” Cash said.
Edwards, who had a sacrifice fly in the third, broke open the game with a two-run single off reliever Edwin Uceta in the seventh.
Morel, obtained last weekend from the Cubs in a trade that sent All-Star Isaac Paredes to Chicago, also homered against the Marlins in his Tampa Bay debut on Tuesday night. His first-inning drive into the left field stands off Munoz was his 20th of the season.
“You can see how talented he is, how athletic he is,” Cash said. “Two homers in two days. You’re not going to do much better than that.”
Bradley, whose scoreless streak was the third longest in Rays history, allowed four runs and four hits over five innings.
Kyle Stowers, obtained Tuesday from Baltimore, went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts in his Marlins debut.
TRAINERS ROOM
Marlins: RHP Edward Cabrera is not expected to miss a start after experiencing discomfort in his left knee during the sixth inning of Tuesday night’s 9-3 loss. He was injured covering first base on an infield single and left the game with Miami leading 3-1. “Testing was OK, so hopefully he makes the next turn,” manager Skip Schumaker said.
Rays: LF Richie Palacios was removed after banging his right knee on the ground on a head-first slide into second base in the second inning. He was replaced by Dylan Carlson, who went 0 for 3 in his made his Tampa Bay debut, a day after he was acquired from St. Louis. Cash said Palacios hyperextended the knee and is day to day.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Continue a nine-day, 10-game trip Thursday, opening a four-game series at Atlanta, which starts RHP Charlie Morton (5-6). RHP Max Meyer (2-0 in four starts) starts for Miami.
Rays: RHP Shane Baz (0-1) opens a three-game series Friday at Houston.
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