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Navarro, Hinske help Rays walk past Marlins

Jun 25, 2008 - 3:43 AM By Christopher Stock PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MIAMI (Ticker) -- Dioner Navarro and Eric Hinske walked with the bases loaded in a pivotal eighth inning to help lift the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-4 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Akinori Iwamura hit a two-run homer and had three hits for the Rays, who have won three of four over their intrastate rivals.

"We did not play well at all," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We pitched well, but we had way too many mistakes. If we are going to get to the promised land, we can't make those kind of mistakes. Pure and simple, we are not going to beat the Red Sox and the Yankees if we continue to make these mistakes."

J.P. Howell (6-0) pitched two innings in relief to pick up the win. Dan Wheeler tossed a scoreless eighth and Troy Percival recorded his 18th save by pitching the ninth.

Jorge Cantu hit a double to left-center field off Howell, plating Jeremy Hermida to give the Marlins a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning.

Iwamura, Willy Aybar and Carl Crawford each singled to load the bases in the eighth inning with no outs. Joe Nelson relieved Renyel Pinto (2-3) and got B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria to ground into fielder's choices, as the Marlins' infielders threw home each time preventing a run to score.

"You're looking down a gasoline tank with a match when you come in with bases loaded and nobody out," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "That's not fair for him in that situation and he almost came out of it."

Navarro and Hinske followed with bases-loaded walks and the Rays took a 4-3 advantage. Justin Miller relieved Nelson and got Jason Bartlett to fly out to end the inning.

"I got into a good hitter's count and I was thinking that I wanted to make something happen without a strikeout," Navarro said. "I knew he was falling behind and I was waiting for one pitch only. I did my job and he threw a pitch that I thought was down and in, and that's what it was."

Longoria delivered a two-run double in the ninth to give the Rays a three-run cushion. Josh Willingham's RBI pull the Marlins within 6-4, but Mike Jacobs grounded out with the bases loaded to end the game.

Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine pitched five innings, allowing two runs and six hits. He struck out five and walked two.

Marlins starter Scott Olsen threw seven solid innings, allowing two runs and four hits while striking out four and walking two. The lefthander has a superb 1.45 ERA in three career starts against the Rays.

"I'm pleased by my individual performance and felt I did my job," Olsen said. "It didn't really turn out for us in the later innings, but I can't control that."

Hermida and Olsen each had RBI singles for the Marlins.