MIAMI (AP) — Randy Arozarena, Josh Lowe and Isaac Paredes homered as the Tampa Bay Rays rallied from two early deficits and beat the Miami Marlins 11-2 Tuesday night for their ninth win in 11 games.
José Siri hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning and Yandy Díaz added two singles for the Rays, who trail AL-leading Baltimore by 2 1/2 games in the East Division and maintained their 5 1/2-game lead in the race for the AL’s top wild-card spot. With the win, Tampa Bay improved to 81-52, ensuring the Rays will go a seventh straight season without a losing record.
“We’re playing good baseball and trust each other,” Arozarena said. “And we have to continue playing strong to maintain the positive results.”
Miami slugger Jorge Soler left the game in the seventh inning due to right hip tightness. Soler, who has 35 homers this season, swung at a pitch from Tampa Bay reliever Erasmo Ramírez and stepped away from the plate.
Aaron Civale (7-3) overcame a 32-pitch first inning and worked five innings of two-run ball. The 28-year-old right-hander allowed seven hits and struck out five in his fifth start since arriving in Tampa Bay in a trade from Cleveland on July 31.
“At that point it was reset and let go what’s happened and do my best moving forward,” Civale said of getting through the first inning. “It’s just one pitch at a time, trying to slow the game down the best I can.”
Trailing 1-0 after one inning and 2-1 after three, Siri’s double capped a three-run sixth against Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara and put Tampa Bay ahead 4-2.
Paredes ended a nine-pitch at bat with a game-tying single that scored Brandon Lowe, who had reached on a leadoff double that fell between right-fielder Soler and second baseman Luis Arraez. Alcantara hit Vidal Bruján with a pitch before Siri’s line drive to the corner in left chased the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner.
Alcantara (6-12) gave up four runs, seven hits, walked two and struck out four in 5 2/3 innings for the Marlins (66-66), who are 13-27 since the All-Star break.
“Tough one for Sandy with the fly ball to start the inning,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “(Soler) broke back at first and came in. One of those fall-right-in-between type of deals.”
Tampa Bay broke it open with four runs against relievers Steven Okert and George Soriano in the seventh. Harold Ramírez hit a pinch-hit RBI single off Okert before Soriano gave up a two-run homer to Arozarena and a solo shot to Lowe.
“Alcantara was really good again,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We got some big hits right there the last inning, none bigger than José with the two-run double.”
Arozarena’s homer, his 21st, surpassed the previous season high he set in 2021 and ’22.
Paredes connected off Jorge López with a three-run blast in the ninth.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a solo homer in the third to put Miami ahead 2-1.
Luke Railey’s sacrifice fly in the second tied it at 1 after Chisolm’s RBI single in the first had given Miami a quick lead.
Civale allowed four singles in the first inning, but retired Yuli Gurriel on a force with two out and the bases loaded.
Díaz returned to the Rays’ lineup after he was struck by a pitch on his left forearm against the New York Yankees Saturday and missed Sunday’s game.
EYE ON THE STORM
While preparing for the opener of the two-game set against Miami, the Rays also monitored the path of Hurricane Idalia. Storm models project the storm will landfall over Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday.
“We live in Florida. It’s hurricane season and we’ve taken the right steps,” Brandon Lowe said. “We know the precautions to take and make sure my family is safe.”
FOUNDATION LAUNCH
Chisholm recently launched the Jazz Chisholm Foundation, which will provide equipment and resources to youth baseball and softball leagues in Florida and the Bahamas, where Chisholm is from.
ROSTER MOVE
The Rays signed RHP Chris Devenski to a major league contract and placed him on the bereavement list. Devenski was released by the Angels earlier Tuesday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rays: INF Taylor Walls (left oblique strain) played the first of three scheduled rehab games with Triple-A Durham on Tuesday.
Marlins: RHP Johnny Cueto (viral infection) threw two innings of live batting practice before the game.
UP NEXT
RHP Zach Eflin (13-8, 3.55) will start the series finale for the Rays on Wednesday, while the Marlins will go with LHP Jesús Luzardo (9-8, 3.77).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB