Blake Snell got through 5 innings with the lead in the 3rd game of the Citrus Series. That wouldn’t be enough. After a good streak, the Rays’ bullpen was not good on Wednesday night. The relievers allowed a combined 8 runs over the next 2 innings. The offense couldn’t rebound and the Marlins spoiled the Tampa Bay’s return home in a 10-6 loss.
Blake Snell got off to a great start. It took him 34 pitches to get through the 1st 2 innings, striking out 4. He got some run support in the 2nd inning. Brad Miller reached 2nd base after an error in the outfield and Rickie Weeks Jr. ended his slump right after and drove in Miller for the 1-0 lead. Jesus Sucre reached on a walk and then Peter Bourjos loaded the bases. The slumping Kevin Kiermaier then came through. The Rays’ center fielder sent an RBI single to right field to extend the lead to 3 runs after 2.
The Marlins would get on the board in the 4th. Marcell Ozuna sent an absolute blast to left field to cut the lead to 2 runs. Adeiny Hechavarria cut the lead to just a single run with an RBI double. The Rays doubled that lead very quickly though. Daniel Robertson led off the Rays’ half of the 4th with his 2nd homerun of the year to make it a 4-2 game.
Snell found himself in a jam in the top of the 5th. He walked Ozuna to load the bases, but then came right back and struck out Justin Bour to escape unscathed. That would be it for Snell. He ended allowing 2 runs and 6 hits. The left-hander also struck out 9 Marlins in his 5 innings of work.
Snell was in line for the win, but that didn’t last long. Austin Pruitt allowed 4 straight singles to start the inning, capped off by a 2-RBI base hit from J.T. Realmuto that tied the game at 4. The hits off Pruitt would just continue to come. Martin Prado advanced Realmuto with a single of his own and then Yelich drove in the go-ahead run. When it rains it pours. Giancarlo Stanton came up to the plate after that and doubled to make it 5 runs scored off of Pruitt in the inning.
The Rays came back a bit in their half of the 6th. Bourjos came through with an RBI single that cut the lead to 2 runs heading to the 7th inning. Jose Alvarado made his big league debut with hopes of stopping the bleeding, but the Marlins’ bats wouldn’t cool down. Realmuto added to the lead with a 2-RBI triple and then scored after a Martin Prado sacrifice fly to make it a 10-5 game.
The Rays’ offense couldn’t get them back in the game and fell by a score of 10-6 after an Evan Longoria sacrifice fly in the 9th. Adam Conley picked up his 2nd win of the year for the Marlins and Austin Pruitt was the losing pitcher for the Rays.
The final game of the Citrus Series is on tap for tomorrow. 1st pitch is once again scheduled for 7:10 pm when Matt Andriese will head to the mound for the Rays to oppose the Marlins’ Dan Straily. As always, coverage will begin at 6 pm with Steve Carney and The Inside Pitch on 620 WDAE.