Fische » Barraclough had not allowed a run since May 8

Closer Kyle Barraclough has been exceptional for the Marlins in the last two months http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/marquise-blair-jersey , so the novelty of him giving up a run — even in a Miami win — is major news.

“Claw will bounce back, no worries about that,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said after he gave up the tying run in the ninth, ultimately earning the victory in a 2-1 win in a series opener against the Rays.

an amazing run of 21 games and 20 2/3 innings with just two hits allowed before Monday, when the Rays matched that with two hits and the tying run. His season ERA had dipped below 1.00 to 0.99 ERA before that run scored.

“To be able to scratch runs and get pitching, it’s nice to be able to get that win in the end,” Mattingly said of his Marlins (35-51), who have won three of four games.

The Marlins will try to continue that Tuesday with rookie right-hander Trevor Richards (2-5, 5.06 ERA) on the mound. Richards lasted only four innings in his last outing, giving up six hits and three runs to Arizona, but he has two wins in his last four starts http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/cody-barton-jersey , this after having zero wins in his first six starts of the season.

Richards has never faced the Rays, but his limited work in interleague play has been rough — eight hits and five runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Red Sox in April, then nine hits and six runs in 3 1/3 innings against Baltimore in June. His interleague record is 0-2 and his ERA is 12.91, with a staggering 17 hits in 7 2/3 innings.

The Rays answer with another rookie who hasn’t faced this team before — Ryne Stanek, spectacular as an “opener” with short outings to open games throughout the month of June, was supposed to start Tuesday but instead got the nod in the 10th inning Monday, surrendering a leadoff walk that quickly became the winning run off an infield single.

Ryan Yarbrough (7-4, 3.76 ERA) has pitched well coming in after the “opener,” but he’ll get the start now against the Marlins. Much like Richards, he’s struggled in interleague play, going 0-2 with a 6.60 ERA http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/phil-haynes-jersey , allowing 19 hits in 15 innings. His last outing wasn’t bad at all, lasting 6 1/3 innings in relief, giving up seven hits but only one run in a 1-0 loss to Houston on Thursday. He’ll likely get a rare chance to bat as well with the game in a National League park — he’s just 0-for-2 at the plate in his young career.

One-run games have been a major part of the Rays’ season — they’ve played in 37, matching the most in the majors, and they’ve lost 21, the most of any team, but Rays manager Kevin Cash said he was optimistic even when his team was down 2-1 in the ninth on Monday. The Rays had won eight of nine coming in and will try to bounce back Tuesday.

“The way we’ve been playing, we’ve been getting the big hit,” Cash said. “I think it was going to work out the entire game.”

WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals are approaching July 4 on the verge of becoming what nobody predicted them to be when the season started — a .500 club.

Washington fell to 42-41 Monday night with 4-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox, their sixth loss in seven games. Once again, they did almost enough to win http://www.tampabaybuccaneersteamonline.com/mike-edwards-jersey , falling behind 3-0 and rallying within one before Craig Kimbrell retired Anthony Rendon with the tying run on base to end it.

Max Scherzer, who has had an impressive year at the plate as well as on the mound, ironically was done in by friend and former pitching teammate Rick Porcello, whose bases-loaded double off Scherzer in the second inning made it 3-0.

“I wish I had a lot to say about that, but I don’t really know what happened,” Porcello, who improved to 10-3, told NESN.com. “Obviously I know he’s got a big fastball and I just got lucky. He got to the top of his windup and I told myself start swinging and I hit it.”

With the loss, Washington dropped seven games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

“This is where the test is, that even when things aren’t going your way, when things are bleak http://www.tampabaybuccaneersteamonline.com/matt-gay-jersey , when we haven’t been playing great baseball, you have to find a way to take and find certain things you are doing well and just try to build off those,” Scherzer, winless in his last five starts, told MASN.com. “That’s just what the whole team has to do.”

The Red Sox (57-29) survived solo homers by Rendon in the fourth, Daniel Murphy in the sixth and Bryce Harper in the eighth.

Reliever Joe Kelly surrendered the Harper homer to cut Boston’s lead to 4-3. Since the start of June, Kelly has pitched 9 1/3 innings and allowed 12 hits and nine earned runs.

“We’ll keep working with him, one thing that he needs to do better is tempo,” Red Sox manager Joey Cora said. “I think his tempo is going the other way instead of being more aggressive, and just grab the ball and throw it. So, we’ll talk to him.”

Boston left-hander Brian Johnson (1-2 http://www.tennesseetitansteamonline.com/a.j.-brown-jersey , 4.28) opposes right-hander Tanner Roark (3-9, 4.10) on Tuesday night.

Johnson allowed a run in four innings for the Red Sox Thursday night against the Angels in place of Steven Wright, who went on the disabled list with a knee injury early last week. Tuesday could be Johnson’s last turn in the rotation with Drew Pomeranz close to returning.

Roark is glad to put June in his rearview mirror. He went 1-4 with a 6.08 ERA in five starts and one relief appearance, surrendering 18 earned runs in 26 2/3 innings. He did show improvement last time out, allowing two runs — one earned — on seven hits over six innings of a 4-3 loss to the Phillies while sporting a mustache and mutton chops.

“Tanner pitched good enough to win and that was good to see,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told the Washington Post. “He started off a little erratic and then all of a sudden he started getting the ball down, which is good. He pitched well.”

Roark, sounding like any respectably superstitious baseball player, told the Post he’s keeping the mutton chops.

“I feel like it’s a pretty decent look,” he said.