Rays Blank Marlins 6-0 in Citrus Series Opener

MIAMI, FLORIDA - On June 5, 2026, the Tampa Bay Rays kicked off their annual Citrus Series against the Miami Marlins with a dominant 6-0 victory at loanDepot park. Drew Rasmussen took the mound for the Rays, facing off against Marlins' Ryan Gusto.

The game began with a strong offensive push from the Rays. Junior Caminero ignited the rally in the first inning with a one-out double to right field, followed by Jonathan Aranda's walk, which placed two runners on base. Yandy Diaz's groundout advanced both runners into scoring position, setting the stage for Richie Palacios. Palacios capitalized on the opportunity, hitting a line drive to right that was misplayed by Marlins right fielder Owen Cassie, allowing both runners to score. Palacios then slid into third base with a two-RBI triple, and promptly scored on a single from Ryan Vilade, putting the Rays ahead 3-0.

Rasmussen showcased his skills from the start, needing only five pitches to retire the Marlins in the first. He continued to silence Miami's bats, striking out four batters between the second and third innings. In the top of the fifth, Caminero added to the Rays' tally with another double, followed by Aranda's center-field hit, bringing Caminero home and extending the lead to 4-0.

The Rays' offense remained relentless as Cedric Mullins hit a home run over the right field wall in the sixth inning, further widening the gap to 5-0. With Rasmussen continuing to dominate on the mound, he struck out a total of nine batters and allowed just one hit throughout his outing, lowering his ERA to 3.00.

In the seventh, the Rays added one more run, bringing the score to 6-0, after a single from Ryan Vilade brought Caminero home. Although the Marlins managed to bring in relief pitcher William Kempner to escape a bases-loaded situation, they were unable to mount a comeback. The game concluded with Cole Sulser striking out Kyle Stowers for the final out.

The Rays' impressive start to the Citrus Series sets the stage for their next matchup, with Shane McClanahan slated to pitch against a yet-to-be-determined Marlins starter, scheduled for 4:10 PM tomorrow.