Javier Sanoja homers and Tyler Zuber earns 1st career save as Marlins edge AL East-leading Rays 4-3

By: Alanis Thames, The Associated Press Posted: 6:47 PM CDT Saturday, Jun. 6, 2026

MIAMI (AP) — Javier Sanoja homered and singled twice, Tyler Zuber earned his first career save and the Miami Marlins held off the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Saturday.

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MIAMI (AP) — Javier Sanoja homered and singled twice, Tyler Zuber earned his first career save and the Miami Marlins held off the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Saturday.

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MIAMI (AP) — Javier Sanoja homered and singled twice, Tyler Zuber earned his first career save and the Miami Marlins held off the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Saturday.

Sanoja led off the fifth inning with a 363-foot drive to left field against Shane McClanahan (6-3) to help Miami build a 4-1 lead until the ninth, when the Rays rallied against closer Pete Fairbanks.

Ben Williamson drew a leadoff walk and scored with two outs on a wild pitch by Fairbanks to make it 4-2, followed by an RBI single from Yandy Díaz. After loading the bases, Fairbanks exited to a smattering of boos before Zuber entered and struck out Junior Caminero.

Miami Marlins' Javier Sanoja bunts the ball in the second inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The Marlins totaled 10 hits after managing just two in Friday’s series-opening loss. Joe Mack hit a run-scoring double, and Otto Lopez singled twice.

Díaz had three of Tampa Bay’s five hits.

The Marlins used seven pitchers in a bullpen game. Lake Bachar got the start, striking out three over three perfect innings, and John King picked (3-1) up the win by getting two outs.

McClanahan allowed four runs and eight hits with six strikeouts through five innings for the AL East-leading Rays, who have lost four of five.

Miami’s pitchers were perfect through four innings before Richie Palacios reached on a throwing error by Sanoja at third base to start the fifth. Cedric Mullins was hit by a pitch with one out before King got Taylor Walls to ground into a double play.

Sanoja made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the sixth and pinch-hitter Liam Hicks stretched the lead to four with a sacrifice fly.

Victor Mesa Jr. broke up Miami’s combined no-hit bid when he led off the sixth with a single against Calvin Faucher, and the Rays spoiled the shutout in the eighth on Díaz’s RBI double against Michael Petersen.

Up next

The teams finish the series Sunday, with Rays RHP Griffin Jax (1-4, 4.76 ERA) facing RHP Sandy Alcantara (4-4, 4.59).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb