Drew Rasmussen tossed a season-high six shutout innings, and Yandy Díaz drove in two runs as the Tampa Bay Rays blanked the Miami Marlins (18-27) 4-0 on Saturday at loanDepot park.
The right-hander Rasmussen (2-4) was dominant, allowing just four hits and striking out seven en route to his first win since March 31. He set the tone for a Rays pitching staff that combined for a four-hit shutout, with Edwin Uceta, Garret Cleavinger, and Pete Fairbanks each delivering a scoreless inning of relief.
Tampa Bay (21-25) broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning, tagging Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara for four runs — all the damage the Rays would need. The outburst began after Alcantara had retired 11 straight batters. With two outs, José Caballero reached on an infield single, then stole second and third. Danny Jansen was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for rookie Chandler Simpson’s RBI single to right, his second hit of the game.
Facing an 0-2 count, Díaz then delivered the big blow — a two-run single to right field that made it 3-0. Jonathan Aranda followed with an RBI single of his own, capping the rally and ending a promising outing for Alcantara (2-6), who dropped his sixth straight decision despite showing flashes of his Cy Young-winning form from 2022 over the first four innings.
Alcantara finished with five innings pitched, five hits, four runs, one walk, and five strikeouts. He also struggled to contain Tampa Bay’s aggressive baserunners, with Caballero swiping two bags and Simpson adding another.
Simpson, who is batting a scorching .404 (21-for-52) in 14 road games this season, left the game in the ninth inning after a hard collision at home plate with Marlins catcher Nick Fortes. Attempting to score from second, Simpson was tagged out and remained on the ground while being tended to by medical staff. He was eventually able to walk to the dugout. Rays manager Kevin Cash later said Simpson suffered facial scratches but “should be OK.”
Díaz finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Simpson and Aranda each had two hits and one RBI. The win sets the stage for a potential series sweep in Sunday’s finale.
The Rays will send Shane Baz (3-2, 5.02 ERA) to the mound for Sunday’s finale, while the Marlins counter with struggling right-hander Cal Quantrill (2-4, 7.00 ERA).
