Wendle’s ninth-inning HR lifst Rays over Marlins

Joey Wendle hit a three-run homer, highlighting a four-run rally in the ninth inning that sent the Tampa Bay Rays over the Miami Marlins 6-4 Friday night.

Wendle’s one-out shot off closer Anthony Bass (0-1) landed in the upper deck in right field and erased a 4-2 deficit. Manuel Margot then tripled and scored on Francisco Mejia’s sacrifice fly.

“He left a splitter right there for me and I kind of ran right into it,” Wendle said.

Margot also homered and Austin Meadows went deep for the second consecutive game, helping Tampa Bay win its seventh straight in Miami dating to 2019. The Rays edged the Marlins 1-0 on opening day Thursday on Meadows’ homer.

“To come back like that is fun,” Wendle said. “The guys are a little more rowdy in the clubhouse after the game and kind of rolls into momentum playing into tomorrow.”

Andrew Kittredge (1-0) gave up a run in the eighth. Diego Castillo got his second save with a scoreless ninth.

“It’s a good group and they recognize we’re not out of ball games,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ve got guys that can put together good at-bats, get on base and have our big popper Joey Wendle come cup and hit a threerun homer.”

ORIOLES 3, RED SOX 0 >> John Means pitched seven innings of one-hit ball, allowing a single to lead off the game and retiring the last 18 batters he faced on Friday to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 3-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in their rain-delayed opener.

Means struck out five and allowed just two baserunners — the other on an error — earning the win when Ryan Mountcastle doubled in two runs in the sixth to break a scoreless tie. Anthony Santander added an RBI single in the eighth.