Rays Secure Narrow Victory Over Marlins

Jonathan Aranda's two-run performance propelled the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-3 victory against the Miami Marlins at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday.

This win marked the Rays' fourth consecutive triumph, elevating their record to 34-29, while the Marlins faced their fifth straight defeat, falling to 23-38.

Aranda's impressive .379 batting average at the temporary home field was highlighted by a first-inning single that drove in the game's opening run. The Rays struggled with runners in scoring position, managing only two hits out of 14 opportunities. In the third inning, Aranda added another run with a groundout during a two-run rally.

In the seventh inning, Aranda recorded another single and later crossed home plate, which ultimately became the decisive run following singles from Jake Mangum and Matt Thaiss.

On the mound, Zack Littell (6-5) delivered a strong performance, allowing just one run on six hits over six innings. Agustin Ramirez managed to hit a home run off Littell in the fourth, while Otto Lopez added a two-run homer in the eighth inning against Edwin Uceta.

Edward Cabrera (2-2) was charged with the loss for Miami. Pete Fairbanks secured his 12th save in front of an audience of 8,448 fans.

A controversial moment occurred when Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards attempted a bunt with a runner on third. Littell fielded the ball and threw to first base, where Edwards was called out by umpire Ben May for interference after running through Aranda's glove, despite the ball being dropped. This decision led to ejections for both Edwards and Marlins manager Clayton McCullough, marking the first ejection for each.

The victory extended the Rays' winning streak to eight games in Littell's starts, tying Shane McClanahan's 2023 record for the fourth-longest such streak in team history. During this stretch, Littell remains undefeated at 6-0.

Looking ahead, the Marlins will start left-hander Ryan Weathers, who is set to make his debut against Tampa Bay on Saturday afternoon. The Rays will counter with right-hander Taj Bradley (4-5, 3.95), who has yet to secure a win against the Marlins in his career, holding an 0-2 record against them.