MIAMI -- Ryan Weber showed up in Miami knowing his mandate: Give the Rays innings.
Little more than 12 hours after the Rays claimed a 16-inning win over the Marlins, the Rays returned to action at Marlins Park on Wednesday with a depleted pitching staff in need of help. And despite taking the loss in the 3-0 Fourth of July finale, Weber gave the Rays what they needed.
"It helped a lot," said Rays manager Kevin Cash of Weber, who combined with Matt Andriese and Hunter Wood to carry the Rays through the finale. "We've got some guys who are going to really appreciate the off-day. After that, going into New York, we should be in a much better spot."

The Rays (43-43) lost the three-game series after winning consecutive home series against the Yankees, Nationals and Astros.
Weber was awakened around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday to be told he'd been selected from Triple-A Durham and to report to the Rays. He caught a flight to Miami, pitched five innings, and was then told after the game that he would be optioned back to Durham.
"I knew I was coming up to get the team innings. That's what I did," Weber said. "I kept the pitch count low so they could keep running me back out there. That's all I could have asked for out there. Felt good."
After five scoreless innings to open the game, Starlin Castro got the Marlins started in the sixth when he singled to center off Weber, who was in his fourth inning at that point. JT Riddle followed with a triple to center to drive home Castro. Riddle then scored when J.B. Shuck hit into fielder's choice and he beat shortstop Willy Adames' throw to the plate, giving the Marlins a 2-0 lead.
"Great baserunning," said Weber, who got the ground ball he needed with the infield drawn in. "Good slide. It is what it is. He made a nice play getting in. That's what I wanted. It's just unfortunate that he was safe. But it was good baserunning."

Riddle added a solo home run off Wood in the eighth, leaving him a double shy of the cycle on the afternoon.
"It's not good that we lost, obviously," Andriese said. "But to cover those innings, throwing two, then Webby covering five there. It does help going into an off-day. Giving some of the other guys two days off in between the next outing. We have another bullpen day on Friday, so we'll be firing on all cylinders again."
Marlins starter Jose Urena came off the disabled list to throw five scoreless innings, before Drew Rucinski and Elieser Hernandez covered three innings leading to Brad Ziegler, who pitched the ninth to earn his 10th save of the season.
"Their guy, Urena, pitched well," Cash said. "Kind of changed his approach a little bit. Started throwing fastballs in to the lefties and away to the righties. That's generally not been his M.O., he's more of an armside fastball guy. Maybe it took us a little while to adjust, or we never did adjust. He threw the ball well, kept the ball down, and it seemed like their bullpen stacked up pretty well and they went piece by piece."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Riddle hit the ball deep to center field with a runner on board in the sixth inning. Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier gave chase. Normally, if any ball is hit to center field, it lands in Kiermaier's glove. This time, the ball found a spot. Riddle's hit became a triple, driving in the game's first run, which was all the Marlins needed on Wednesday.

SOUND SMART
The Rays were shut out for the sixth time this season, and held to four or fewer hits for the ninth time.
HE SAID IT
"I think I'm going to get fined by Gatorade. … When I'm angry, I'm not thinking real well. If they fine me for this, I have enough money to pay." -- Gomez, on his attack on the water cooler after striking out in the second inning
UP NEXT
Ryne Stanek will start Friday when the Rays play the Mets in a 7:10 p.m. ET contest at Citi Field. He is the first pitcher since Baseball Reference data is available (1908) to record seven consecutive scoreless starts. His 12 appearance scoreless streak covering 15 2/3 innings ended Monday night in a relief loss. Right-hander Jacob deGrom will start for the Mets.