MIAMI — The Tampa Bay Rays have been doing work and making moves, such as bumping Steven Matz to the bullpen, in an effort to get their pitching back on track.

But after Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Miami Marlins, the Rays’ ninth in their last 12 games to drop their record to 37-24, there are also fair questions to ask about their lack of offense.

Facing seven Miami relievers on a bullpen day, the Rays went 12 up and 12 down over the first four innings, were held hitless until the sixth and didn’t score until the eighth. They added two more in the ninth off former closer Pete Fairbanks, who got taken out after loading the bases with two outs on his 39th pitch of the afternoon.

Over the nine losses, it was the seventh time the Rays were held to three or fewer runs.

Shane McClanahan gave the Rays a solid start in posting four zeroes, but allowed two runs in the fifth and was responsible for two more in the sixth.

Javier Sanoja delivered the first with a leadoff homer, just the third McClanahan has allowed over 12 starts. Esteury Ruiz worked a walk then stole second and went to third on an errant throw by catcher Nick Fortes.

With two outs, Joe Mack lined a ball to deep left-center that got over the head of primary second baseman Richie Palacios, making his first appearance of the season in the outfield with Chandler Simpson out of the lineup, to deliver the second run.

The Marlins had a chance to make it a big inning after Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez reached on infield singles to load the bases.

But McClanahan got Kyle Stowers to hit a ground ball, and second baseman Ben Williamson and shortstop Taylor Walls teamed up to start an inning-ending double play.

The Marlins doubled the lead with two more runs in the sixth.

Heriberto Hernandez, a former Rays minor-leaguer, Leo Jimenez and Sonaja each rapped singles to score one. McClanahan hit Ruiz with his 81st and final pitch to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Liam Hicks greeted reliever Casey Legumina with a sac fly.

For the afternoon, McClanahan worked five-plus innings, allowing a season-high-matching four runs on eight hits.

The Rays were held hitless through the first five innings by a trio to Miami pitchers, though did get two men on in the fifth via a throwing error and a hit batter.

They finally got a couple hits in the sixth off ex-Ray Calvin Faucher. Victor Mesa Jr., whose father Victor, a longtime player and manager in Cuba, was in the LoanDepot Park stands, led off with a single, and Yandy Diaz rapped another with one out.

But the Rays couldn’t capitalize as Jonathan Aranda struck out and Junior Caminero grounded out.

They finally got on the board in the eighth. Mesa drew a leadoff walk from Michael Petersen and Fortes was hit by a pitch. Diaz delivered a double to score Mesa, and they seemed in a promising position with Aranda and Caminero due up.

But Aranda took a called third strike, Caminero went down swinging and Palacios grounded out to end the threat.

The Rays got two runs in the ninth off Fairbanks, one on a wild pitch, the other on a Diaz single.

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