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Rays' Shields fans 13 in shutout of Marlins

May 22, 2011 - 11:31 PM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - James Shields tossed a three-hit shutout as Tampa Bay downed Florida, 4-0, in the finale of a three-game interleague series.

Shields (5-2) set a career high with 13 strikeouts, turning in his third complete game in 10 starts this year. He also was credited with a second- inning RBI.

"Oh yeah, I wanted to finish this one real bad. Any time you get to the ninth inning, you want to finish it," Shields admitted. "The guys really picked me up out there...I just found out I had 13 strikeouts, which is a career high, so that's also real good."

Matt Joyce, Casey Kotchman and Elliot Johnson knocked in a run each for the Rays, who salvaged a game in the set after losing by identical 5-3 scores in the first two contests.

Gaby Sanchez collected two hits for the Marlins, who have dropped three of five.

In his first career major-league start, Jay Buente (0-1) allowed five hits and four runs -- three earned -- with three walks over three full frames.

"I felt good in the bullpen before the game," Buente said. "You just wanna go out there and slow the game down, do what you want to do and get in the zone to find your pitches. I think I just have to get in that zone a little more."

The Rays picked up two runs in the second. With the bases loaded, Marlins third baseman Greg Dobbs mishandled a Shields grounder to allow one run to score, then a fielder's choice groundout from Johnson plated the second.

Joyce's RBI double and an RBI triple from Kotchman pushed the Tampa edge to 4-0 in the third.

That was all the offense Shields required. The 29-year-old retired the side in order in the first, then after a Sanchez base hit to lead off the second, he retired the next 17 batters before a Sanchez single with two down in the seventh.

Dobbs fanned to end that frame, and Shields only allowed a one-out hit to Omar Infante in the eighth and a two-out, ninth-inning walk to Logan Morrison for the remainder of the contest.

"I don't think we're so bad that you can throw a three-hit shutout against us, but I don't think he's that bad that he can give up 10 runs every outing. I feel like we got him that time, and he got us this time," said Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan about Shields, who pitched well after he was rocked in his previous start against Florida, last June 11.

Game Notes

Shields fanned 12 Angels in a 2-1 win on April 30. He also posted back-to-back complete-game victories on April 19 (White Sox) and 24 (at Toronto)...This was Shields' second whitewash of the season, after a 2-0 decision on April 24...Prior to the game, the Marlins reinstated pitcher Clay Hensley from the 15-day disabled list to complete the transaction begun following Saturday's game which saw the club option infielder Ozzie Martinez to Triple-A New Orleans.