Rays 3 - 1 Marlins
Final
  for this game

Rays deal Marlins eighth straight loss behind Hernandez

May 30, 2013 - 3:54 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Roberto Hernandez worked an effective 8 2/3 innings, while Kelly Johnson and Yunel Escobar each added a RBI as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Miami Marlins, 3-1, in the first of a two-game interleague set.

Hernandez (3-5) scattered three hits and one unearned run while striking out five without issuing a walk to win his first game on the road this season.

"He wasn't overthrowing, wasn't trying to do too much," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "The ball had great movement. He had great command of his slider, which he used at the right times, and a good changeup to boot."

Fernando Rodney, who has been inconsistent throughout the year, came in for the final out to pick up his 10th save of the year.

The Marlins continue to struggle and dropped their eighth straight game, a season high.

Tom Koehler (0-3) pitched well despite being handed the loss. He allowed three runs on seven hits while fanning four over eight frames.

The Rays fourth consecutive win puts them a season-best four games above the .500 mark.

The Rays got all the offense they needed to win the game in the first inning. They started the game off with three straight hits, a Ben Zobrist single to left-center followed by a Matt Joyce double. Kelly then hit a single to right.

Evan Longoria grounded into a double play to bring home a run and give the Rays a 2-0 lead.

"It's always tough when you give up a couple of runs in the first," Koehler said. "When you give up that second run it really puts your team in a hole. Every at-bat becomes a battle for them from the beginning, and that can't happen."

The Marlins scored their lone run of the game in the first on a throwing error by Joyce, who tried to throw out Chris Coghlan advancing to third on a fly ball. The throw to third, though, went into the crowd.

Escobar tacked on another run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly to plate James Loney, who had doubled.

Rodney, with a runner on first and two outs, need only two pitches in the ninth to secure the victory when Derek Dietrich lined out to right field.

Game Notes

In the month of May, Johnson ranks second in the majors with 26 RBI, trailing only Detroit's Miguel Cabrera (31) ... Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an infield single in the fourth inning, which is the longest active streak in the majors ... The Marlins designated infielder Nick Green for assignment.






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