MIAMI — Javier Sanoja homered and singled twice, Tyler Zuber earned his first career save and the Miami Marlins held off the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Saturday.
Sanoja led off the fifth inning with a 363-foot drive to left field against Shane McClanahan (6-3) to help Miami build a 4-1 lead until the ninth, when the Rays rallied against closer Pete Fairbanks.
Ben Williamson drew a leadoff walk and scored with two outs on a wild pitch by Fairbanks to make it 4-2, followed by an RBI single from Yandy Díaz. After loading the bases, Fairbanks exited to a smattering of boos before Zuber entered and struck out Junior Caminero.
The Marlins totaled 10 hits after managing just two in Friday’s series-opening loss. Joe Mack hit a run-scoring double, and Otto Lopez singled twice.
Díaz had three of Tampa Bay‘s five hits.
The Marlins used seven pitchers in a bullpen game. Lake Bachar got the start, striking out three over three perfect innings, and John King picked (3-1) up the win by getting two outs.
McClanahan allowed four runs and eight hits with six strikeouts through five innings for the AL East-leading Rays, who have lost four of five.
Miami’s pitchers were perfect through four innings before Richie Palacios reached on a throwing error by Sanoja at third base to start the fifth. Cedric Mullins was hit by a pitch with one out before King got Taylor Walls to ground into a double play.
Sanoja made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the sixth and pinch-hitter Liam Hicks stretched the lead to four with a sacrifice fly.
Victor Mesa Jr. broke up Miami’s combined no-hit bid when he led off the sixth with a single against Calvin Faucher, and the Rays spoiled the shutout in the eighth on Díaz’s RBI double against Michael Petersen.