Rays Swim By Marlins

     The Tampa Bay Rays canned the Miami Marlins 7-2 at Tropicana Field on Friday night. It was the first time that the Marlins played at Tropicana Field since the 2024 season. The Rays have the best American League record and the second-best record in Major League Baseball. 

     Tampa Bay(29-14) busted out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Yandy Diaz blasted a two-run homer to left field on the first pitch with Jonathan Aranda aboard. It was the sixth home run of the season for Diaz. 

     Miami(20-25) answered back with one run in the top of the second and were down 2-1. Connor Norby cracked a solo home run to left-center field on a 1-1 count for his fourth homer of the year. 

     The Rays regained the lead 4-1 in the bottom of the second. Hunter Feduccia hit a sacrifice fly to the left-field wall for Richie Palacios to score. Taylor Walls followed with a fielder's choice to first which scored Cedric Mullins.

     It became 6-1 for Tampa Bay in the fourth inning. Walls doubled down the right-field line for Mullins and Feduccia to reach home. 

     The Marlins closed it to 6-2 in the top of the sixth with one run. Jakob Marsee smacked a solo homer to right field on a 2-1 pitch for his third home run of the 2026 campaign. 

     The Rays increased their lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Mullins clobbered a solo home run to right field on a x-x count for his third homer in a Tampa Bay uniform.