Jay Buente had some pretty big shoes to fill when he stepped on the mound in place of an injured Josh Johnson on Sunday Afternoon. But Jay's four-run, three-inning outing was the least of the Marlins concerns as James Shields stole the show and pitched a complete game shutout of the Fish, allowing just three hits and striking out 13 to keep the Tampa Bay Rays from being swept at Sun Life Stadium.
Buente didn't have a great afternoon on the mound, though he was helped by a little bad defense behind him in the second. With one out, Jay walked Casey Kotchman, and gave up singles to Sean Rodriguez and Kelly Shoppach to load the bases. James Shields was up next, and his ground ball to third should have ended the inning. But Greg Dobbs bobbled it, and everybody was safe on the play as Kotchman scored. Elliot Johnson's fielder's choice scored Rodriguez next, and with Johnny Damon at bat, Brett Hayes threw Elliot out at second for the final out of the inning.
The Rays added two more in the third. Evan Longoria and Matt Joyce doubled, and after Upton struck out, Kotchman tripled them in to give the Rays a 4-0 lead.
The Marlins bullpen took over for Buente after the third, and Brian Sanches, Burke Badenhop and Clay Hensley pitched a combined six scoreless innings. Since James Shields had the lineup looking like a bunch of deer in headlights, however, the game was over.