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Helms, Jacobs power Marlins past Rays

Jun 15, 2008 - 9:57 PM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) - Ricky Nolasco came within out out of his first career complete game, but it was still more than enough to halt the Florida Marlins' three-game losing streak.

Nolasco struck out a career-high 12 in 8 2/3 innings and Wes Helms and Mike Jacobs each hit three-run homers as the Marlins defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 9-3, on Sunday.

The Marlins salvaged the final contest of the three-game series with the Rays. Florida won for only the fourth time in its last 16 road games.

The loss was only Tampa Bay's fourth in its past 26 home games.

"Ricky pitched outstanding," Jacobs said. "It was pretty impressive to watch."

Nolasco (7-4) won for the sixth time in his last seven decisions. He allowed six hits, two earned runs and walked one in a career-high 8 2/3 innings.

"I had a good curve ball and cut fast ball that was striking out their lefties," Nolasco said.

Nolasco retired the first two batters in the ninth, but then walked Evan Longoria and allowed a single to Cliff Floyd, prompting manager Fredi Gonzalez to pull him.

"Normally I don't like to push guys, but he deserved the opportunity," Gonzalez said. "I was cheering him on hard to get (the complete game)."

Nolasco threw 132 pitches, the most since he threw 188 in a 10-inning game as a high school senior, he said.

"Fredi gave me every opportunity for the complete game, but I couldn't get the last one out," Nolasco said. "I figured Floyd would be the last one I faced."

Rays starter Edwin Jackson (4-6) allowed six runs, five hits and three walks in five innings in losing for the third time in his last four starts.

"There's not any frustration," Jackson said. "It's the simple fact you know how many people are going to score when you walk them."

In the second, Helms gave the Marlins a 3-0 lead. After Jackson issued consecutive one-out walks to Dan Uggla and Luis Gonzalez, Helms hit his fourth homer of the season into the left field seats.

With two out in the fifth, the Marlins strung together three consecutive hits - singles by Jeremy Hermida and Jorge Cantu and Jacobs' home run to build a 6-0 advantage.

"We swung the bats pretty well," Jacobs said. "Hopefully this gets us going in our next two cities (series at Seattle and Oakland)."

The Rays closed within 6-2 on Jason Bartlett's RBI single in the fifth and Eric Hinske's solo home run in the sixth.

"Nolasco was really sharp," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "He had tremendous command of his breaking ball. He kept the ball in on the lefties. The breaking ball command, that's why he had success."

Cody Ross added a two-run triple in the eighth on a fly ball that could have been caught in right-center field. Right fielder Gabe Gross appeared to call off center fielder B.J. Upton and then let the ball drop between them.



Cantu added a ninth-inning RBI single and Gross had an RBI single, accounting for the final margin.

"Sweeping guys is the difference between winning 88 games and winning over 90," Floyd said. "Finishing in third place and being in the wild card."