Rays at Marlins
The Tampa Bay Rays look to follow up their second shutout of the young season with a series victory Sunday when they visit the Miami Marlins for the rubber match of a three-game interleague set. Starter Chris Archer gave the Rays seven strong innings after they used eight pitchers in the series opener and the offense did just enough to snap a five-game losing streak to the Marlins with a 2-0 win.
Evan Longoria had the go-ahead RBI and 2008 first overall draft pick Tim Beckham slammed his first career home run for Tampa Bay, which has scored 18 times the last four games. Miami scored 10 runs Friday, but has managed only three in its other four contests this season while going without a homer. Dee Gordon and Christian Yelich at the top of the order are batting a combined .300 with six runs scored for the Marlins while Giancarlo Stanton (3-for-15) and Marcell Ozuna (zero RBIs) are off to slow starts. Miami will play the next 10 games on the road after Sunday’s homestand finale.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Nathan Karns (0-1, 9.53 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Henderson Alvarez (0-1, 2.57)
Karns allowed six runs on five hits in the first two innings of his season debut before giving the Rays a chance to come back against Baltimore with 3 2/3 scoreless frames. The 27-year-old Pennsylvania native remains in the top three of the rotation with Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly and Matt Moore recovering from injuries. Karns was 1-1 with Tampa Bay last year and lost his only career outing against a National League team (Atlanta) in 2013 while with Washington.
Alvarez was winless in five career starts against the Rays before scattering eight hits and striking out five in a 1-0 victory last season – one of his three complete-game shutouts in 2014. The Venezuelan followed up his breakout 12-7 season with a strong performance in his 2015 debut, allowing two runs and six hits in seven innings despite a 2-1 loss to Atlanta. Evan Longoria is 7-of-13 with three homers and six RBIs versus Alvarez, who has a 4.78 career ERA against Tampa Bay.
WALK OFFS
1. Tampa Bay OF David DeJesus has four hits and three RBIs in his first eight at-bats of the campaign.
2. Yelich is batting .367 (40-for-109) all time in interleague play, but is 3-for-19 against the Rays.
3. Tampa Bay C Rene Rivera, acquired from San Diego in the offseason, has yet to record a hit in his first 16 at-bats for the Rays.