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Marlins rally to complete sweep of Devil Rays

May 20, 2007 - 9:12 PM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- All the Florida Marlins needed to do was to get James Shields out of the game.

Stymied by Shields for the first seven innings, the Marlins rallied for three runs in the eighth and completed a three-game sweep with a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Sunday.

After allowing just five hits and one through seven innings, Shields turned a 3-1 lead over to Brian Stokes to start the eighth. Shields had pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh.

"I go out there every time and try to do my best," said a disappointed Shields. "You can't control some of the things that go on in a ballgame. It was a tough series for us. They're a tough hitting ballclub, they're pretty solid."

Stokes failed to record an out, allowing a leadoff single to Dan Uggla and hitting Hanley Ramirez with a pitch before being lifted in favor of Shawn Camp (0-1).

"(Uggla) has been swinging the bat pretty good on the whole road trip," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He got four, five doubles and we need him to continue swing the bat."

Miguel Cabrera greeted Camp with a run-scoring single to pull the Marlins within 3-2. Josh Willingham then hit a double-play grounder to third baseman Josh Wilson, who stepped on third but made a wild throw to second.

"It crossed my mind," Camp said about a possible inning-ending triple play. "Willingham is such a great hitter and any time you can get him to roll over a base they way he did you're doing your job. It was a tough play."

"I knew it should have been at least two," Wilson said. "You don't expect a triple play but you never know. If I make a good throw there's a good chance. I make a low throw and we only get one."

Wilson's miscue proved costly as Jeremy Hermida laced an RBI double down the right field line, tying the game at 3-3. After an intentional walk to Aaron Boone, Miguel Olivo's groundout plated Willingham with the go-ahead run.

"Camper did his job," Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Even though Cabrera hit the ball hard it was down on the ground. Then he gets a chopper to third and a chopper over the bag, he did his job. We had a chance to get out of that inning if we just executed."

The Florida rally ruined another solid outing from Shields, who worked at least seven innings for the seventh time in nine starts.

Marlins starter Sergio Mitre (2-2) benefited from his team's comeback as he allowed three runs - two earned - in seven innings. The righthander struck out three without a walk in winning his second straight start.

"Sergio kept us in the game," Gonzalez said. "Shields, that was a pretty good performance on his part too. Sergio matched him and hung in there . His sinker was a little flat early but he stayed with it and was able to persevere."

Matt Lindstrom worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Kevin Gregg pitched around a one-out walk in the ninth for his first save.

Carlos Pena gave the Devil Rays the early lead with his ninth homer of the season, a two-run shot off Mitre in the bottom of the first.

Greg Norton's RBI single in the third gave the Devil Rays a 3-0 lead.

Willingham's run-scoring double in the seventh pulled the Marlins within 3-1.