MIAMI _ The Rays wouldn't allow another late-night _ or even early-morning _ Marlins celebration.
After the Marlins walked off Tampa Bay on Monday night, the Rays discovered their own late-inning magic in handing Miami a 9-6 loss in 16 marathon innings on Tuesday night at Marlins Park in front of 6,259.
Jake Bauers' double in the top of the 16th inning off Brett Graves cracked open a tied game, and opened the door for five Tampa Bay runs in the frame.
Bauers hooked a double down the right-field line to plate the go-ahead runs, and reliever Vidal Nuno later followed with a RBI single off Graves, the Rule 5 pick making his fourth major league appearance. Daniel Robertson added a two-run double.
The loss was Miami's fifth in its last eight games, and prevented the Marlins (35-52) from reaching their highest winning percentage since they were 2-2 on April 1. The Marlins can win their second straight series Wednesday afternoon at 1:10 p.m.
Both teams had opportunities to end the game earlier.
In the 13th, the Rays put runners on the corners with no outs. But Johnny Field flied out to right field and Carlos Gomez popped a bunt into an inning-ending double play. Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto had a chance with runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth, but Chaz Roe struck him out.
Marlins closer Kyle Barraclough escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth inning by striking out Joey Wendle with a 94-mph fastball. The Rays ended Barraclough's 20 2/3-inning scoreless streak by tagging him for a run on Monday night, but the right-hander wiggled out of trouble Tuesday before Graves couldn't.
The game also ended with unexpected roles.
Nuno had two hits before injuring himself running the bases. Rays backup catcher Jesus Sucre ended his night on the mound after surrendering three singles and a sacrifice fly in the 16th.
Graves filled the clean-up hole in the Marlins' lineup, given the job of protecting Realmuto in the lineup. Marlins pitchers Pablo Lopez and Dan Straily each pinch-hit for Miami.
The game lasted five hours and 31 minutes, complete with a video review of a potential game-ending double play in the 16th inning. It was overturned and ruled a fielder's choice.
The game ended with Cameron Maybin at the plate representing the tying run. Jose Alvarado coaxed a groundout.
Trevor Richards, the Marlins up-and-down right-handed rookie, allowed two runs in each of the first two innings against Tampa Bay, surrendering an array of hard-hit balls to the first eight batters. Wilson Ramos blasted a two-run home in the first inning. Three straight Rays hit to open the second inning plated two more runs.
The Marlins trailed 4-0, and Richards had given up hits to half the hitters he faced.
In the bottom of the second, he could help his own cause. After Ryan Yarbrough intentionally walked Lewis Brinson, Richards stepped in with the bases loaded and two outs. He had one career major league hit and zero RBIs, but Richards slapped a two-run single to center field to trim the deficit to two runs.
The two most productive Marlins erased the Tampa Bay lead in the fifth. Brian Anderson sliced a single to right that scored J.B. Shuck. Realmuto's sacrifice fly to right plated Castro.
Justin Bour went 3-for-6 in the loss.
