MLB: Tampa Bay 7, Florida 3

B.J. Upton broke a tie with a three-run double in the eighth inning Friday, leading the Tampa Bay Rays to a 7-3 inter-league victory over Florida.

The teams played to a 3-3 deadlock through seven innings, but Ben Zobrist drew a leadoff walk from Renyel Pinto (2-1) in the eighth. Pinto then got Pat Burrell on a fly ball to center and Jason Bartlett’s fielder’s choice grounder forced Zobrist at second, giving the Marlins a good chance to get out of the inning.

Pinto, however, walked Gabe Gross and, after Brian Sanches relieved Pinto, Bartlett and Gross worked a double steal. Dioner Navarro was intentionally walked to load the bases and Upton delivered all three runners with a double to center.

Upton then scored on a single by Carl Crawford.

Tampa Bay won its third in a row and has captured five out of six.

The Rays’ Jason Bartlett went 0-for-4 to end a 19-game hitting streak.

The win went to reliever J.P. Howell (3-2), who recorded the final four outs.

Florida had a five-game winning streak halted.