MIAMI (AP) — Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez has left the Marlins’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night with a tight right hamstring, apparently after hitting a two-run double in the eighth inning.
Ramirez was checked out by Marlins trainer Sean Cunningham and manager Fredi Gonzalez after that hit. He stayed in the game at that point, scoring the tying run when Cody Ross’ grounder was mishandled by Rays third baseman Evan Longoria.
When the Marlins took the field for the ninth, Brian Barden replaced him at shortstop.
Ramirez is the leader in fan balloting for the NL’s starting spot at shortstop for this year’s All-Star game, leading Philadelphia’s Jimmy Rollins by about 200,000 in the most-recent tally.
