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Shields leads Rays over Marlins

Jun 19, 2011 - 11:59 PM St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - James Shields allowed just one unearned run and threw his major league-leading fifth complete game as Tampa Bay completed a three-game sweep of Florida with a 2-1 victory.

The Marlins suffered their 10th straight loss, but the larger blow to the team occurred before the game when manager Edwin Rodriguez announced his resignation.

Bench coach Brandon Hyde took over the managerial duties for Sunday's contest and a decision on an interim manager is expected to be made within the next 48 hours.

Shields (7-4) scattered four hits, fanned 10 and did not issue a walk in the sixth win in nine games for the Rays.

"How about Shields today? If that doesn't put him in the All-Star game I don't know what does. Five complete games prior to the All-Star break, that doesn't happen every year, and it's the way he's done it too. He's been dominating," said Rays manager Joe Maddon.

Casey Kotchman went 2-for-3 and knocked in the decisive run in the eighth inning for Tampa.

Ryan Webb (1-4) suffered the loss by allowing the go-ahead run in relief of starter Chris Volstad. Volstad, who has not won a game since April 26 against the Dodgers, went seven strong innings, allowing just one run on six hits and four walks.

"It's been a tough day. I thought Volstad pitched great and we competed. We just came up short," said Hyde.

Webb started the eighth for the Marlins and allowed a first-pitch single to Matt Joyce. Evan Longoria came up next and hit a ball right back to the mound that would have been an easy double play, but Webb couldn't close his glove on it, allowing Joyce to take second as Webb got the force at first.

Randy Choate took the mound next and Kotchman slapped a ball down the left- field line to score Joyce. Logan Morrison's throw to the plate was late and Joyce slid home without a tag.

Florida struck first for the second straight game after Dewayne Wise reached base on Longoria's fielding error and Emilio Bonifacio followed with a double to put men on second and third with no outs in the first. Two batters later, Gaby Sanchez sent a sacrifice fly into left field to score Wise as Sam Fuld's throw home bounced off Wise to give the Marlins a 1-0 lead.

But that lead would not last for long. In the third inning, Fuld reached on an infield single, moved to second on a Reid Brignac single and advanced to third on Johnny Damon's groundout. Ben Zobrist then hit a sacrifice fly to center field that tied the game at one.

The only other time Florida put a runner in scoring position was in the fifth when Omar Infante hit a one-out double. He would not advance and further, though, because Wes Helms struck out looking and Brett Hayes fouled out to third to end the inning.

Game Notes

Longoria made two errors in the game, one fielding and one throwing...Tampa improved to 12-6 in one-run games...The Marlins have now lost 21 of their last 24 games...Shields threw 79 of his 110 pitches for strikes in the 10th complete game of his career...Florida finished 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and stranded four men on base.