Mikie Mahtook, Asdrubal Cabrera power Rays past Marlins

By foxsports
Published

ST.PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash is excited with how left-hander Matt Moore is wrapping up the season.

Moore went seven solid innings, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth and the Rays beat the Miami Marlins 4-2 on Tuesday night.

Moore, coming back from elbow ligament replacement surgery last year, allowed one run and seven hits. He has given up three runs in 20 2-3 innings over his last three starts.

"It does feel good to roll out a few in a row," Moore said.

Moore hopes to start the season finale Sunday against Toronto, a decision Cash said will be made in the next couple days.

"A lot of bright spots to look forward to next year," Cash said.

Cabrera made it 4-2 with his one-out drive off Bryan Morris (5-4).

"The situation, 2-0 count, I tried to hit the ball hard," Cabrera said.

The Rays are 12-6 in interleague play this season.

Adam Conley gave up two runs and five hits over six innings for the Marlins, who had a five-game winning streak end. Miami dropped to 0-8 in road games against American League teams this season.

"Conley, another excellent start," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "Gave us a shot."

Miami pulled even at 2 in the eighth on Martin Prado's run-scoring single off Alex Colome (7-5). Brad Boxberger pitched the ninth for his 39th save.

After rookie Mikie Mahtook hit a solo homer in the third inning, Kevin Kiermaier gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fourth. Mahtook has four homers in 22 games, including 15 starts, since being recalled Sept. 1 from Triple-A Durham.

Christian Yelich put the Marlins up 1-0 with an RBI double in the first.

Prado, Miami's third baseman, made a nifty catch to end the seventh, lunging over the short wall down the left-field line to grab Mahtook's foul ball.

Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe left with a bruised right foot. He was hit by a pitch from Conley in the first inning.

X-rays were negative, and Forsythe is day to day.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: RF Giancarlo Stanton, sidelined since June 26 with a broken left wrist, has been shut down for the rest of the season. He is expected to be ready for spring training. ... SS Adeiny Hechavarria (left hamstring) might return this week.

Rays: It hasn't been announced if C Curt Casali (left hamstring) will play again this year.

NUMBER'S GAME

Miami 1B Justin Bour went 0 for 4 and had his streak of homering in three consecutive games end. ... Rays 3B Evan Longoria was hitless in 14 at-bats before getting a fifth-inning single. ... Marlins CF Marcell Osuna singled in the fourth and has at least one hit in all 11 career games against Tampa Bay. ... Miami RF Ichiro Suzuki was hitless in four at-bats and remains one hit from tying Barry Bonds (2,935) for 34th place on the MLB list.

DEE-LIGHTFUL

Miami 2B Dee Gordon went 1 for 3 and is three hits from joining Juan Pierre (2003-04) and Hanley Ramirez (2007) as the only Marlins' players to reach 200 hits in one season.

UP NEXT

Marlins: RHP Jarred Cosart (2-4), Wednesday night's starter, is 3-1 with a 1.24 ERA in four starts against Tampa Bay.

Rays: LHP Drew Smyly (4-2) will make his ninth start Wednesday night since returning from a torn left labrum. He has alternated between outings of allowing four runs or more and scoreless starts over that stretch.