A Legend to Remember, A Game to Forget: Rays 10, Marlins 11

Rays honor Longoria but lose heartbreaker to Marlins.

“I constantly try to humble myself; if you don’t, I’m sure the game is going to find a way to humble you,” Evan Longoria said back in 2009 when he was just 23 and the youngest Ray on the roster.

Healthy servings of nostalgia and excitement were on the menu on Saturday during “Longo Day,” though the Rays’ four-game winning streak came to a halt in an 11-10 loss to the Marlins in extra innings.

Rays legend Evan Longoria returned to the diamond, signing a one-day contract to retire in the uniform he wore with distinction. No player has worn number 3 since he last played in 2017, and it seems only a matter of time before it is officially retired. Longo spent time interacting with fans, signing autographs before the game, and delivered the ceremonial first pitch to manager Kevin Cash amid the familiar electric violin chords of his at-bat music, a nostalgic sound for longtime Rays fans.

After the ceremony, there was still baseball to be played.

The Marlins encountered early trouble on some friendly fire when starter Ryan Weathers was bizarrely hit in the head by catcher Nick Fortes’ throw during his final warmup toss. Remarkably, Weathers initially stayed in the game despite clear discomfort.

The Rays quickly capitalized on the moment, surging to an early, and temporary, 4-0 lead in the second inning, highlighted by Christopher Morel’s booming three-run homer. Danny Jansen and Taylor Walls followed with back-to-back doubles.

Baseball’s humbling nature quickly emerged, as Longoria mentioned years ago. Miami responded in the third inning, with former Rays prospect Xavier Edwards driving in a run on a double before Jesús Sánchez’s three-run homer tied the game.

Unphased, the Rays regained momentum in the fourth, thanks to a powerful two-run blast from Danny Jansen. However, the momentum again shifted dramatically in the fifth when the Marlins exploded for six runs, featuring another big hit from Sánchez, this time a blistering two-run double.

Facing a 10-6 deficit, Tampa Bay was down but not out. Morel launched his second home run, followed by Taylor Walls’ clutch two-run shot. Brandon Lowe completed the comeback, dramatically tying the game at 10-10 with a towering solo homer in the seventh inning.

Neither team could break the deadlock through the eighth and ninth innings, pushing the game into extra frames. Miami briefly seized an 11-10 advantage in the tenth inning via Heriberto Hernandez’s timely RBI single.

On a day celebrating Longoria, Rays fans hoped for a storybook walk-off ending. Instead, Marlins defense defined the game’s conclusion. Edwards, displaying pinpoint accuracy, threw out the potential tying run at the plate. The Rays challenged the close play, but replay confirmed the out.

Down to the final strike, Tampa Bay’s hopes ended when Josh Lowe struck out swinging, finalizing the Marlins’ victory and concluding an emotional rollercoaster of a game.

The Rays will try to start a new winning streak when these teams close out the series tomorrow.