Dietrich homers twice as Marlins hold off Rays, 6-5

FAN Editor
MLB: Miami Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays
Jul 20, 2018; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Derek Dietrich (32) celebrates as he hits a 3-run home run during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

July 21, 2018

Derek Dietrich pulled two homers to right field and piled up four RBIs to lead the visiting Miami Marlins to a 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.

Tampa Bay rallied in the bottom of the ninth on a one-out, three-run triple by Mallex Smith against reliever Drew Steckenrider, who had just entered the game.

Steckenrider then allowed a sacrifice fly by C.J. Cron, and Adam Conley got the final out — striking out Daniel Robertson with two runners on — for his first save in eight years as a pro.

The Marlins, who broke the game open with a five-run seventh inning, are 22-18 in their past 40 contests.

Dietrich, a lefty-swinger who went 3-for-5, has 13 homers this season. He hit his first homer of the game, a solo blast, in the third inning on a 2-2 splitter from Rays starter Nathan Eovaldi.

In the seventh, Dietrich snapped a 1-1 score with a three-run homer off lefty reliever Hoby Milner. Those 13 homers tie a career high for Dietrich, who broke into the majors in 2013.

Rays reliever Diego Castillo (1-1), who started the seventh inning with a strikeout followed by a pair of walks, took the loss.

Eovaldi, who spent parts of three seasons with the Marlins, earned a no-decision after allowing just one run in six innings. He struck out eight.

Marlins starter Dan Straily (4-4) won his first game since June 25. Straily limited the Rays to four hits, three walks and one run in seven innings. He struck out three but got nine groundouts.

Tampa Bay got to Straily early as leadoff batter Kevin Kiermaier doubled on just the fifth pitch of the bottom of the first inning. Kiermaier scored on an RBI single to left from Adeiny Hechavarria, who played parts of five seasons with the Marlins.

Dietrich tied the score with his homer in the third, and Miami took control with its huge seventh inning.

Garrett Cooper and Cameron Maybin walked ahead of Dietrich’s second homer.

After that, Brian Anderson walked and scored when J.T. Realmuto doubled off the top of the wall in left field. Realmuto also scored when shortstop Hechavarria dropped the throw in from left fielder Jake Bauers, followed by third baseman Robertson accidentally kicking the ball into the third base dugout.

Both Hechavarria and Robertson were charged with errors on the play.

–Field Level Media

Free America Network Articles

Leave a Reply

Next Post

Colorado shoots for first road win at RSL since 2007

Jul 14, 2018; Commerce City, CO, USA; General view of members of the Colorado Rapids on the pitch with children before the match against the Houston Dynamo at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports July 21, 2018 Ending Real Salt Lake’s home field domination could be […]