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Two big innings boost Miami Marlins past Tampa Bay Rays

By Greg Auman, The Sports Xchange
Miami Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton swings. File photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
Miami Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton swings. File photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- J.T. Realmuto drove in four runs as the Miami Marlins rallied for eight runs in the sixth and seventh innings to beat up the Tampa Bay Rays' injury-depleted bullpen in a 10-6 win Wednesday night at Tropicana Field.

The Marlins (12-14) trailed 4-2 entering the sixth but struck for 10 hits and eight runs in two innings off Rays relievers Austin Pruitt (3-1) and Jose Alvarado.

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The Rays (14-15) had won two in a row against the Marlins in Miami but saw their bullpen implode as the series moved north.

The Marlins set their season high for hits (17) and matched their high for runs. The Rays reset their high for runs allowed and matched it for hits allowed.

Pruitt, who had overcome early struggles to allow one earned run in his previous 11 2/3 innings, came into the game with a 4-2 lead in the sixth. He gave up hits to the first seven batters he faced, and the Marlins took a 7-4 lead. Realmuto had a two-run single and Giancarlo Stanton a two-run double among the big hits in the inning.

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Marlins starter Adam Conley (2-2) gave up five runs (two earned) and five hits in 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win.

Tampa Bay followed in the seventh with Alvarado, called up from Double-A Montgomery to make his major league debut, and he gave up two infield singles and a two-run triple to Realmuto, then a sacrifice fly to Martin Prado to make it 10-4.

The Rays bullpen gave up 10 hits and eight runs in less than two innings.

The Marlins got good production from the bottom of their lineup, with four hits from Miguel Rojas and three from Adeiny Hechavarria, scoring a combined five runs out of the Nos. 7 and 8 spots in the lineup.

The Rays got a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Evan Longoria after a leadoff double by Peter Bourjos and a single by Tim Beckham.

The Rays got nine strikeouts from starter Blake Snell, but he did well to last the five innings necessary to be eligible for the win, leaving after 109 pitches.

Snell got out of a jam in the fifth, striking out Justin Bour with the bases loaded. Snell had struck out Stanton with two on for the second out of the inning. After a full-count walk, Snell retired Bour to leave with a 4-2 lead.

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The Rays tagged Marlins starter Adam Conley for three runs in the second, which started with an error as Brad Miller's pop to shallow left went off the glove of Marcell Ozuna. Rickie Weeks followed with an RBI double.

After a walk and bunt single by Bourjos, the Rays got a two-out, two-run single from Kevin Kiermaier, who broke out of an 0-for-19 slump. Kiermaier came into the game with just three RBIs in 105 at-bats but came through with two on one swing for a 3-0 lead.

The Marlins answered in the fourth, first with a 468-foot home run crushed by Ozuna that hit the Rays' 2011 American League wild-card pennant hanging high in left field. Miguel Rojas followed with a single and scored on an RBI double by Hechavarria to cut the lead to 3-2.

Tampa Bay added a solo home run from Daniel Robertson in the fourth -- his second homer of the year -- for a 4-2 lead.

NOTES: The Rays got 3B Evan Longoria back after he missed two games with plantar fasciitis -- he served as the designated hitter, with rookie Daniel Robertson filling in at third base. ... The Rays made a bullpen move before the game, optioning RHP Chi-Wei Hu to Triple-A Durham and recalling LHP Jose Alvarado from Double-A Birmingham. The Rays hadn't called up a player from Double-A for his major league debut since LHP Scott Kazmir in 2004. Alvarado, 21, made his debut in the seventh inning, allowing three runs in one inning. ... The Marlins placed RHP Edinson Volquez on the 10-day disabled list with a blister on his right thumb. RHP Nick Wittgren was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans and pitched the ninth inning.

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