Xavier Edwards drove in three runs, and Jake Burger and Jonah Bride hit home runs to lead Roddery Muñoz and the Marlins to a 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. This win was Muñoz’s first in nearly three months.
Edwards contributed with a sacrifice fly and a two-run single. The Marlins managed to overcome two one-run deficits to secure a split in the two-game series and hand Taj Bradley (6-5) his first loss since June 8.
Muñoz (2-5), a 24-year-old right-hander, had been winless in 10 starts since his first major league win on May 1. He gave up two runs and four hits while striking out seven in five innings. He allowed a solo home run to Christopher Morel in the first inning and an RBI triple to Jonny DeLuca in the second.
Muñoz said, “The confidence I have received from my manager and coaching staff has been very very helpful. I had good days and bad days, but you know I always try to go out there and make sure I compete and give everything I got.”
Bradley, who had won three straight starts and was 5-0 in his last eight games, had not allowed a run in 24 consecutive innings before Bride’s home run in the second inning. Burger’s two-run homer in the third inning put the Marlins ahead 4-2.
Rays manager Kevin Cash noted that while Bradley wasn’t as sharp as in his previous starts, he still kept the team in the game.
Edwards sealed the win with a two-run single off reliever Edwin Uceta in the seventh inning.
Morel, who was acquired from the Cubs in a trade for All-Star Isaac Paredes, hit a home run in his Tampa Bay debut the night before. His first-inning home run off Muñoz was his 20th of the season. Cash praised Morel, saying, “You can see how talented he is, how athletic he is. Two homers in two days. You’re not going to do much better than that.”
