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DeJesus HR helps Rays takes series

Apr 13, 2015 - 12:55 AM Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - David DeJesus clubbed a three-run homer, Nathan Karns tossed seven solid innings and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Miami Marlins 8-5 Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game interleague series.

Rene Rivera went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Tim Beckham also knocked in two runs for the Rays, who improved to 7-3 all-time at Marlins Park.

Karns (1-1) gave up two runs -- one earned -- on two hits, struck out six and walked two.

Michael Morse hit a two-run double in the eighth to pull the Marlins within 7-4, but Donovan Solano flied out to right field to end the inning with runners on the corners.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia launched a solo home run in the ninth for Miami, while Dee Gordon finished 3-for-5 with an RBI.

Henderson Alvarez (0-2) allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings.

In an unfortunate coincidence for the Marlins, third baseman Don Kelly and catcher Jeff Mathis both left the game after fracturing the fourth finger on their right hands. Kelly was injured fielding a ground ball in the third inning, while Mathis was struck by a foul tip in the eighth.

"I guess my hand got in there a little too quick," Kelly said. "It was just strange."

Asdrubal Cabrera singled home DeJesus in the first inning to give Tampa Bay an early lead. DeJesus had reached on a base hit and advanced to second on a fielding error by right fielder Giancarlo Stanton.

Alvarez wiggled out of a second-and-third, no-out jam in the fourth, but couldn't escape the fifth unscathed after the Marlins tied it on a sacrifice fly by Ichiro Suzuki.

Rivera led off with a single and wound up on third following a wild pitch from Alvarez and a Karns sacrifice bunt. After Kevin Kiermaier worked a walk, DeJesus drove an 0-2 pitch over the wall in right field.

"I was able to back-spin in a little bit, and it was able to go out," DeJesus said. "It kind of change the game."

Miami got a run back in the bottom of the fifth as pinch-hitter Jeff Baker drew a two-out walk and Gordon followed with triple to the right-center field gap.

The Rays, however, scored two runs in the sixth against reliever Brad Hand to go up 6-2. Beckham plated Desmond Jennings with a pinch-hit triple and scored on Rivera's double that deflected of the glove of left fielder Christian Yelich.

Rivera was credited with another RBI double in the eighth when Suzuki couldn't come up with the catch on a diving attempt.

Game Notes

Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria tied Ben Zobrist's club record for doubles with 229 ... Outfielder Marcell Ozuna was scratched from Miami's lineup because he arrived late on Sunday. Suzuki got the start in center field.