Morrison has 3 RBIs in Rays' 4-3 loss to Marlins
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Logan Morrison is being more selective at the plate and it's paying off.
Morrison had three hits, including a homer, and three RBIs in the Tampa Bay Rays' 4-3 loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night.
Morrison is 6 for 7 with a walk over the last two games.
"I'm swinging at good pitches and not missing them," Morrison said.
Morrison has increased his batting average from .100 to .225 by getting 19 hits in 51 at-bats this month,
"When he was going through that rougher stretch, he was expanding (the strike zone) quite a bit," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said, "Now, it's like everything he's swinging at he's putting right on the barrel."
Morrison had a second-inning RBI single and ended Justin Nicolino's night with a two-run shot in the sixth that tied it at 3.
Cole Gillespie had a late tiebreaking RBI single and Marcell Ozuna drove in two runs for the Marlins.
Gillespie had made 22 appearances as a reserve for the Marlins since his previous start on Sept. 6.
"It's nice to have a guy that's been here and played with these guys, and has had some success, too," Miami manager Don Mattingly said.
Miami took a 4-3 lead in the eighth when J.T. Realmuto singled, went to second on Chris Johnson's sacrifice bunt and scored on Gillespie's single off 30-year old Tyler Sturdevant (0-1), who made his major league debut Tuesday.
Kyle Barraclough (3-1) got two outs in the seventh to get the win. David Phelps allowed a single but struck out three in the eighth before A.J. Ramos pitched the ninth to record his 15th save.
After Justin Bour had an RBI double, Ozuna put the Marlins up 3-1 later in the third on a two-run single off Matt Andriese.
Ozuna has reached base in a career-best 32 consecutive games. He has a hit in all 16 career games against the Rays.
Andriese, who had won all three of his previous starts after being recalled from Triple-A Durham on May 8, allowed three runs and eight hits over six innings.
"I thought he threw the ball pretty well," Cash said. "Gave us a chance"
The three-run third inning stopped a stretch of 20 consecutive scoreless innings, dating to last season, at Tropicana Field for Andriese.
Nicolino gave up three runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: OFs Giancarlo Stanton (sore right side) and Christian Yelich (back spasms) were both out of the lineup.
Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) plans to add curveballs in about two weeks to his bullpen sessions that currently consists of fastballs and change ups. ... Closer Brad Boxberger (adductor surgery) made his fifth rehab outing with Double-A Montgomery and will pitch there again Friday.
NUMBERS GAME
The Rays' streak of scoring four or more runs in 10 consecutive games was snapped. . Tampa Bay has lost seven of its last 10 home games.
HOMECOMING
The Rays purchased the contract of 26-year RHP Ryan Garton, who went to high school in nearby New Port Richey, from Triple-A Durham. "Coming to games here, it's crazy from where I've come from and what has had to happen," Garton said. ... To make room for Garton, SS Tim Beckman was optioned to Durham and INF Jake Goebbert was designated for assignment. Beckman was taken first overall in the 2008 draft by Tampa Bay.
UP NEXT
Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez (6-2) will face Tampa Bay LHP Drew Smyly (2-5) on Thursday. Fernandez, who attended high school in Tampa, is 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in two starts against the Rays.