Rays at Marlins
A visit to the worst team in the majors helped the Tampa Bay Rays get back on track and maintain their hold on first place in the American League East. After closing out a homestand by losing three of four, the Rays won the opener of a five-game road trip and will go for a sweep of a two-game interleague series when they face the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.
Avisail Garcia did most of the heavy lifting for Tampa Bay in Tuesday's 4-0 victory, clubbing a mammoth 471-foot home run as part of a three-hit, three-RBI night. Garcia extended his hitting streak to four games and has homered three times and collected seven RBIs over the past six contests. He provided more than enough offense to send the punchless Marlins to their sixth consecutive defeat, dropping their record to a major league-worst 10-30. Neil Walker had a pair of hits for Miami, which is 1-9 in its last 10 games and has scored two runs or fewer in each of the losses.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.57 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Urena (1-5, 4.82)
Six-game winner Tyler Glasnow, the ace of the pitching staff through the first six weeks, was injured in his last start, leaving the Rays to turn to Stanek as the opener for the sixth time since April 23. He worked two scoreless innings in each of his last appearances as the opener, allowing one hit each against both Arizona and the Yankees, but he gave up a run in one inning of relief versus the Yankees on Sunday. Walker belted a three-run homer in his only at-bat against Stanek.
Urena deserved a better fate last time out at the Chicago Cubs, having to settle for a no-decision despite permitting two runs (one earned) and five hits over a season high-tying seven innings. It was the fifth consecutive outing of at least six innings -- including four quality starts -- for the 27-year-old Dominican, who was hammered for 15 runs in losing his first three starts. Travis d'Arnaud is 2-for-5 against Urena, who sports an 0.84 ERA in 10 appearances (one start) versus Tampa Bay.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rays 3B Yandy Diaz has hit safely in seven straight games after going 2-for-5 Tuesday.
2. Marlins C Jorge Alfaro is 0-for-16 over the past five games.
3. Garcia has raised his batting average from .250 to .296 with hits in 11 of his last 12 games.