Tampa Bay Rays vs Miami Marlins Match Player Stats On Aug 28, 2020

Yandy Diaz broke up a scoreless game with an RBI single in the eighth inning, lifting the Tampa Bay Rays to a 2-0 win over the host Miami Marlins on Friday night.

The Rays have won 16 of their last 19 games.

Miami has lost two straight games following three consecutive victories.

Pete Fairbanks (4-1) earned the win, pitching 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Diego Castillo pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season.

Austin Meadows started Tampa Bay's winning rally with a one-out single off reliever Richard Bleier (1-1). Meadows advanced on Brandon Lowe's groundout and scored when Diaz lined an 81-mph Brad Boxberger changeup to left.

Neither starter earned a decision, although both pitched exceptionally well.

Miami rookie Sixto Sanchez, making just his second major league start and appearance, pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out 10 while walking one.

Sanchez, Miami's top prospect, allowed six hits -- all singles -- and lowered his ERA to 2.25. No runner got past second base against Sanchez, who was throwing 100-mph fastballs and mixing in sliders and changeups.

Tampa Bay's Ryan Yarbrough pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out five. He left the game due to tightness in his left groin.

Even so, Yarbrough lowered his ERA to 3.65 and escaped potential trouble in the first inning when Rays catcher Michael Perez made an impressive throw to third to cut down Jon Berti, who was trying to steal with just one out.

Miami's Lewis Brinson hit a one-out double in the third for another possible rally, but Yarbrough retired the next two batters on groundouts.

Perhaps fortuitously, the Rays made an in-game trade for pitching help -- and this was before Yarbrough was injured. Tampa Bay acquired left-handed reliever Cody Reed (0-1, 5.79 ERA) from the Cincinnati Reds.

Tampa Bay added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Joey Wendle hit a one-out swinging bunt, beating the throw from catcher Jorge Alfaro to first. Wendle advanced on Manuel Margot's groundout and scored when Perez pulled a fly-ball single to right.

--Field Level Media