Tampa Bay Rays defeat Miami Marlins 3-2 – MLB Spring Season
Tampa Bay Rays defeat Miami Marlins 3-2 at the Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida on Tuesday, March 20 in their Grapefruit League encounter of the 2012 Major League Baseball Spring Training Session.
Rays’ pitcher Wade Davis put up a solid show as he allowed just one run and three hits in five innings in Tampa Bay Rays’ 3-2 win over the Marlins. Davis walked none and struck out of five in a display of some high quality throwing skills.
The starter showed great courage and confidence when he decided to stay on the mound even after Donnie Murphy’s grounder hit him on his right ankle. Maddon was extremely expressed with what he saw from Davis.
"The moral of the story is to hit him in the foot, hard, with a blunt object before he goes out to pitch," the Tampa Bay manager said, "because he was entirely different after that ball hit him on the foot. For me personally, it's quote 'a moment. I'm not usually star-struck but I have been today."
"It was numb for a little bit, but nothing to take me out," Davis said.
Marlins starter Johnson made a decent appearance, giving up two runs and four hits in just over four innings.
"He threw the ball well once again," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "Every day his progress is on the right track."
The Rays will be delighted with their effort against the Marlins in an extremely competitive contest. Handling the pressure absolutely brilliantly, the Rays displayed some high quality baseball skills as momentum shifted one way and the other.
Tampa Bay has done reasonably well in their last two spring games. After making a forgettable start to the spring, it seems Tampa Bay is finally putting it all together. However, with just five wins in their fifteen spring games, Joe Maddon and his men still have a lot to prove to shut their critics.
The Marlins had several opportunities to take the score lead but they eventually paid the price for lack of concentration and unforced errors. With their 7-8 win-loss record this spring, the Marlins are also struggling to bring consistency in their game.
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