Sogard hits 2 of the Rays’ 4 homers in 8-6 win over Marlins
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Eric Sogard homered twice and finished with a career-high five RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Miami Marlins 8-6 on Saturday night.
Willy Adames and Austin Meadows also connected as Tampa Bay won for the seventh time in eight games. Nick Anderson (3-4), who was acquired in a trade with Miami on Wednesday, pitched a perfect eighth for the win, and Emilio Pagan finished for his ninth save.
The Rays went ahead to stay on Adames’ leadoff drive against Jarlin Garcia (2-1) in the eighth. Travis d’Arnaud, who has 26 RBIs since July 1, made it 8-6 with a run-scoring single later in the inning.
Sogard, picked up in a trade with Toronto on Sunday, hit a two-run shot in the second and a three-run drive off Elieser Hernandez in the third. He has 12 homers this season, compared to 11 combined over his previous eight major league seasons.
Meadows went deep for the third straight game. Meadows’ solo drive in the seventh tied it at 6.
Starlin Castro homered for Miami, which has dropped three of four. Jon Berti had three hits and drove in a run.
The Marlins grabbed a 6-5 lead with two runs in the seventh. Berti singled in Cesar Puello, and Brian Anderson added a sacrifice fly.
Berti came within a homer of hitting for the cycle and stole two bases. He tripled in the ninth but was stranded when Anderson flied out to right.
Miami scored three times in the third. Castro hit a two-run shot, and the other run scored on a double-play sacrifice fly.
Garrett Cooper hit a fly ball that center fielder Kevin Kiermaier caught at the wall. Anderson tried to advance to third and originally was ruled safe. After the call was overturned by a replay review, Castro homered on Jalen Beeks‘ next pitch.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: SS Miguel Rojas, who left Thursday’s game with right hip tightness, extended his hitting streak to 10 games with double leading off the first.
Rays: Reliever Jose Alvarado (right oblique strain) is scheduled to start a rehab assignment Sunday with Class A Charlotte and could be back next weekend.
COLLISION
Kiermaier hit a fifth-inning grounder about 45 feet up the first-base line and ran into Neil Walker right after the Marlins first baseman fielded the ball. Walker, who held onto the ball for an out as they both crashed to the ground, departed after the sixth inning with a jammed right index finger.
UP NEXT
Marlins left-hander Caleb Smith (7-4) and Rays right-hander Yonny Chirinos (8-5) are Sunday’s scheduled starters.
