Javier Sanoja homered and singled twice, Tyler Zuber earned his first career save and the Miami Marlins held off the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Sanoja led off the fifth inning with a 363-foot drive to left field against Shane McClanahan (6-3) to help Miami build a 4-1 lead until the ninth, when the Rays rallied against closer Pete Fairbanks.<\/p>\n
Ben Williamson drew a leadoff walk and scored with two outs on a wild pitch by Fairbanks to make it 4-2, followed by an RBI single from Yandy D\u00edaz. After loading the bases, Fairbanks exited to a smattering of boos before Zuber entered and struck out Junior Caminero.<\/p>\n
The Marlins totaled 10 hits after managing just two in Friday’s series-opening loss. Joe Mack hit a run-scoring double, and Otto Lopez singled twice.<\/p>\n
D\u00edaz had three of Tampa Bay’s five hits.<\/p>\n
The Marlins used seven pitchers in a bullpen game. Lake Bachar got the start, striking out three over three perfect innings, and John King picked (3-1) up the win by getting two outs.<\/p>\n
McClanahan allowed four runs and eight hits with six strikeouts through five innings for the AL East-leading Rays, who have lost four of five.<\/p>\n
Miami’s pitchers were perfect through four innings before Richie Palacios reached on a throwing error by Sanoja at third base to start the fifth. Cedric Mullins was hit by a pitch with one out before King got Taylor Walls to ground into a double play.<\/p>\n
Sanoja made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the sixth and pinch-hitter Liam Hicks stretched the lead to four with a sacrifice fly.<\/p>\n
Victor Mesa Jr. broke up Miami’s combined no-hit bid when he led off the sixth with a single against Calvin Faucher, and the Rays spoiled the shutout in the eighth on D\u00edaz’s RBI double against Michael Petersen.<\/p>\n
The teams finish the series Sunday, with Rays RHP Griffin Jax (1-4, 4.76 ERA) facing RHP Sandy Alcantara (4-4, 4.59).<\/p>\n
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AP MLB: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/MLB<\/p>\n