Rays 2, Marlins 1
Casey Kotchman doubled in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth as the host Tampa Bay Rays completed a sweep of the crumbling Florida Marlins with a 2-1 victory on Sunday.
Prior to the start of the game, Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez announced his resignation. Bench coach Brandon Hyde took over on Sunday, and the team will begin a search for an interim manager on Monday. Sunday’s loss dropped Florida to 1-18 in June.
James Shields (7-4) tossed his second straight complete game and fifth of the season, needing 110 pitches to mow down the Marlins while yielding four hits and an unearned run. The righthander struck out 10 and did not walk a batter.
Chris Volstad matched Shields through seven before yielding to the bullpen. Ryan Webb (1-4) allowed a leadoff single to Matt Joyce in the eighth and Randy Choate surrendered Kotchman’s double two batters later.
Florida jumped on top in the first, pushing a run across on Gaby Sanchez’s sacrifice fly.
The Rays responded in the third, knotting it at 1-1 when Ben Zobrist lifted a sacrifice fly to left off Volstad.