Rays at Marlins
The Miami Marlins captured their first victory of the season in unconventional fashion and look to build on that when they host the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday for the second of a three-game interleague series. Christian Yelich knocked in the winning run in the 10th inning for a 10-9 victory after the Marlins coughed up a seven-run lead and closer Steve Cishek blew a save in the ninth.
Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton each recorded three RBIs while Dee Gordon had three hits and scored four times, including the winner, as the Marlins beat their Sunshine State neighbor for the fifth straight time. Tampa Bay used eight pitchers as reliever Steven Geltz started the game Friday and needs a lengthy start from Chris Archer, who opposes Rays nemesis Jarred Cosart. Outfielder Kevin Kiermaier homered for the second time in three games Friday and has four RBIs early on for the Rays, who have lost all three meetings with Cosart. Two of Tampa Bay’s three defeats have come by a single run.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (0-1, 4.76 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jarred Cosart (2014: 13-11, 3.69)
Archer pitched relatively well on Opening Day while allowing three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings and striking out five, but gave up two homers. The 26-year-old North Carolina native surrendered only 12 blasts in 32 starts and had a 2.78 ERA on the road as opposed to 4.00 at home last season. Michael Morse is 2-for-5 with a RBI versus Archer, who permitted one run over seven innings and struck out eight in a 1-0 loss to the Marlins in 2014.
Cosart appears to have the off-the-field issues behind him after being fined by Major League Baseball for making some illegal bets. The 24-year-old Texan was 4-4 with a 2.39 ERA in 10 starts for the Marlins after being acquired from Houston at last year's trade deadline. Evan Longoria is 2-of-10 with a homer and three RBIs against Cosart, who is a 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three career outings against the Rays – two of them last season.
WALK OFFS
1. The Rays currently have nine players on the disabled list after adding DH-C John Jaso (wrist) and 1B James Loney (oblique) since the regular season started.
2. Miami C Jarrod Saltalamacchia struck out five times in his first seven at bats this season before reaching base three times Friday with a double and two walks.
3. Tampa Bay SS Asdrubal Cabrera, who went 2-of-12 in his first three games with his new team, had three hits and two RBIs on Friday.