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 A 12th consecutive interleague victory. A fourth consecutive win
overall and signs of promise after bashing the increasingly woeful
Tampa Bay Rays 11-6 on Thursday at Tropicana Field.
Not even getting ejected arguing a foul ball call in the seventh
inning could ruin his mood. Maybe because with time to waste back in
the clubhouse, he punched up the draft on television and watched the
Marlins take his favorite prospect, Texas high school fireball Tyler
Kolek, with the second choice.
Solid day all around.
"I was happy with the way we played, sweeping a team," Redmond said.
"They kept finding a way to stay in the game. Fortunately, our
offense kept the pressure on."
In sweeping the four-game, home-and-home series with Tampa Bay
(23-38), the Marlins improved to 32-28 and moved within one of the
major league record for consecutive interleague wins held by the New
York Yankees (2003-2004) and the Rays (2004).
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, dropped its 10th straight and has the worst
record in the majors and its worst standing after 61 games under Joe
Maddon, who became manager in 2006. Six runs was a bounty for a Rays
team that has struggled mightily recently, but even that wasn't
enough.
"We just can't balance it all," Maddon said. "We finally come alive
with the bats, had a really pretty good offensive night, but so do
they, unfortunately."
Center fielder Marcell Ozuna went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs
for a Miami lineup that amassed 17 hits, which tied a season high
and was the most allowed by the Rays this year in a nine-inning
game.
"It's almost to the point of ridiculous," Rays left fielder Matt
Joyce said. "We're not a bad team. We're really not. We have some
great players with some tremendous talent. It seems like we have not
been on the same page."
After the Rays tied the score with two runs in the fifth, Miami
retook the lead with a three-run sixth off the previously
untouchable Jake McGee.
After Casey McGehee led off with a double to chase Rays starter Jake
Odorizzi, first baseman Garrett Jones (3-for-4) singled to center
off McGee, sending McGehee (4-for-5, three runs) to third. McGee had
retired 21 consecutive batters and not allowed an inherited run to
score this season, but Ozuna followed with another single to give
the Marlins a 4-3 lead.
Rookie catcher J.T. Realmuto upped the lead to 5-3 with his second
hit of the game and the Marlins took a three-run lead when the Rays
couldn't complete a double play on a grounder by shortstop Adeiny
Hechavarria.
Odorizzi (2-6) again failed to go deep into the game because of high
pitch count (94), allowing four runs and seven hits with eight
strikeouts in five innings. A Rays starter has not won since Chris
Archer 18 games ago.
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Tampa Bay got two back in the bottom of the inning on a run-scoring
triple by Joyce against starter Jacob Turner and a RBI single by
pinch-hitter Jerry Sands -- breaking an 0-for-34 Rays slump with
runners in scoring position -- against reliever Chris Hatcher.
Turner (2-3) was charged with five runs, eight hits and a walk and
had three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. The win ended an 0-for-19
start to his career on the road.
"That was kind of a fluky thing, but it's definitely good to get the
win," he said. "I don't have to be reminded of that anymore."
The Rays had taken a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a sacrifice
flyout by first baseman James Loney, scoring designated hitter David
DeJesus. Ozuna tied the score at 1 with an RBI single in the fourth
and Realmuto knocked in two with his first big-league hit for a 3-1
lead.
"You can't really have too much better of a game from my
standpoint," he said.
Tampa Bay got solo homers from rookie Kevin Kiermaier (3-for-3) --
his third home run of the season -- and second baseman Ben Zobrist
-- his fifth -- to tie the score at 3 in the fifth.
Right fielder Giancarlo Stanton's 17th homer of the season, a
hacheted two-run shot to left off right-hander Brad Boxberger, upped
the Marlins' lead to 8-5 in the seventh. Designated hitter Justin
Bour added a run-scoring single for a 9-5 margin.
The Rays closed within 9-6 in the bottom of the seventh when center
fielder Desmond Jennings doubled home third baseman Evan Longoria
(2-for-5), who led off with a two-bagger.
Ozuna's 11th homer of the season - a two-run shot against
right-hander Josh Lueke -- upped the lead to 11-6.
NOTES: The Rays held a moment of silence before the game for special
advisor Don Zimmer, who died at age 83 on Wednesday. ... Rays rookie
CF Kevin Kiermaier took the blame for not attempting to score the
tying run from third base on a high chopper with one out in the
bottom of the ninth on Wednesday. The Rays lost 5-4. ... 1B Justin
Bour and C J.T. Realmuto made their major league debuts for Miami.
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