ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays looked pretty good again Friday in winning a second straight game, beating the Marlins, 8-0.
Kind of like a division champion, which they could be as soon as Saturday night.
The Rays got hits early and often, with Randy Arozarena getting them started with a three-run double in the first, and a solid six-inning outing from Ryan Yarbrough between opener David Robertson and reliever Dietrich Enns.
The win improved the Tampa Bay’s American League-best record to 95-59. More importantly, if the Red Sox lose to the Yankees late Friday, the Rays extended their East Division lead to seven games with eight to play. That reduces their magic number to clinch to two — meaning with another Red Sox loss in their Saturday afternoon game and a Rays win in their 6:10 p.m. game, they could be popping bottles Saturday night. And if neither or only one of those things happens Saturday, they Rays would have another chance to do so Sunday.
The Rays took charge in the first inning, which Marlins starter Edward Cabrera needed 40 pitches to complete. Ji-Man Choi drew a two-out walk, then Nelson Cruz singled and Austin Meadows walked.
Arozarena, who before the game was named the team’s Outstanding Rookie by the Tampa Bay chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, laced a ball down the left-field line that cleared the bases.
The Rays added on in the fourth. Joey Wendle led off with a bunt single, Francisco Mejia bounced a ball through the infield for a double, and Kevin Kiermaier dropped a ball just inside the left-field line for a two-run double.
And they got two more in the fifth. A Meadows single and a Wendle walk set them up, and Mejia delivered a two-run single.
Kiermaier tripled in a run in the seventh.
Yarbrough allowed only two hits over six innings, striking out four.
