Colin Poche Gets First Save as Rays Hang On to Beat Marlins 5-4 and Sweep Series

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Colin Poche has pitched in several high pressure moments out of the Tampa Bay bullpen this season, but nothing could have prepared him for how Wednesday night's game played out.

Poche came on to pitch the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins, and it was his first save opportunity of the year. The lefty is used often — he had pitched in 14 games already — and it was an unusually tense situation. The fact that he got through it, helping the Rays win 5-4 and sweep a quick two-game series, only tells a small part of the story.

For starters, the Rays scored five runs in the first inning, so there should have never been any tense histrionics in the closing inning anyway. So add that to his plate.

And then, to make matters worse, his usually reliable infielders started botching one play after another in the ninth. Third baseman Taylor Walls and shortstop Wander Franco both had throwing errors, and second baseman Vidal Brujan misplayed a grounder from Brian Anderson, the first batter of the inning, on a ball that was called a hit but could have gone the other way, too.

The Marlins scored on Franco's error, making it 5-4 with runners on first and third and just one out. But Poche coaxed a shallow fly ball to right out of Willians Astudillo and, after a walk to load the bases, struck out Jesus Aguilar to end the game on his 26th pitch.

Rays manager Kevin Cash didn't know it was his first save. Neither did J.P Feyereisen, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning to raise his season-long shutout streak to 21 innings. 

"I feel like he's been in big situations all year for us, but he was just out there being a dog tonight on the mound, doing what he did to get us through that game,'' Feyereisen said "He was awesome, and did a great job to get us that win. I can't believe that was his first save, because he's done so much for us this year.''

This was supposed to be a pitcher's duel between Tampa Bay's Drew Rasmussen and Miami's Cody Poteet, but it never developed, with the Rays jumping all over  Poteet right out of the box. That in itself was stunning, because he had only allowed two earned runs all year in 23 innings of work prior to Wednesday night.

Kevin Kiermaier walked to open the inning and then Franco doubled down the left field line, scoring Kiermaier. Yandy Diaz walked, and then Randy Arozarena had a two-run double. Harold Ramirez was next, and he hit the first pitch, a hung slider, 432 feet into the left field seats. It was his second home run in two nights.

The Rays, who blew two leads last weekend in Baltimore, wouldn't score again though, and the Marlins, who are now 2-17 against the Rays in the last 19 meetings, started clawing their way back. They got to Rasmussen for three runs in the fourth inning, the most runs he's given up in an inning all year.

Rasmussen, who's now 5-1 on the season, gave up a lead-off homer to Jorge Soler on a cutter and then he gave up two singles and a two-run double by catcher Jacob Stallings. 

Rasmussen said he got frustrated by two second-inning walks, and it carried over into the Marlins' rally. He wasn't happy about that.

"I got a little frustrated with myself after that second inning. I don't like walks, and I can't let that happen. To not be in the zone is terrible,'' Rasmussen said. "All credit to them in the (fourth) inning. Soler hit a cutter that I don't think has been hit for damage all year and he hit it out of the park. I was frustrated, and they took advantage of me. 

"I told Kyle (Snyder, the Rays' pitching coach) after I outing that i was soft in that (fourth) inning. To allow that frustration to roll over, that's just soft.''

The Rays' bullpen kept Miami at bay after Rasmussen left. Jason Adam pitched the sixth and allowed only a walk that was wiped out by a double play. Matt Wisler pitched a scoreless seventh and J.P. Feyereisen struck out all three batters in the eigth, though there was a momentary concern. 

Soler hit a shot down the left field line that was first called a home run. The umpires huddled and then ruled it a foul ball on the field. There was a review, and the foul call stood.

"You've got just to look at it as a long strike and just go after him again,'' Feyereisen said. "Any time you get three strikeouts it's a good inning, and it's fun. But I could have done without the stress.'' 

Poche said the same thing with all that ninth-inning craziness. He was glad to get it over with. 

"The ninth is always tense, especially when the score is a little tight,'' Poche said. "I really needed to buckle down and make some pitches and we got the job done. (The defensive miscues), that's just the game. Sometimes you have to pick them up, because more often than not, they pick us up. It was never a worry that those guys behind me could get the job done. We have a lot of faith in our defense.''

Poche didn't let the moment overwhelm him, either.

"I try to treat every outing with the same intensity and the same game plan, and it's just another outing to me,'' he said. "It's huge (to get called on to pitch the ninth), and today it was my turn to close. The guys who all came in out of the bullpen did a great job. They kept it a two-run cushion for me with those guys doing their job.''

The Rays are now 26-17 on the season, and have made it nine games over .500 for the first time all year after losing four games in a row when they were eight over.

Next up is a four-game set with the New York Yankees, who have the best record (31-13) in baseball and lead the Rays by 4.5 games in the American League East. Thursday's game starts at 6:40 p.m. ET. (For the full schedule, CLICK HERE) 

Watch Kevin Cash's postgame press conference