It only took seven tries for the Tampa Bay Rays to finally earn a win over the Seattle Mariners, but they were able to finally get a victory, as Randy Arozarena drove in a pair and Mike Zunino homered to help Tampa Bay take a 4-3 decision Wednesday at Tropicana Field.
Rays starter Josh Fleming fell behind in the third inning with a two-out rally, as Dylan Moore singled, stole second base on a ball in the dirt, and scored on a base hit by J.P. Crawford.
Tampa Bay struggled the first time through against Mariners starter Logan Gilbert, but the second time through was much more successful. Brandon Lowe led off the third with a double, and Ji-Man Choi followed up with a walk. Arozarena then lined a pitch past Jarred Kelenic in center for a two-run triple that gave the Rays a 2-1 lead.
A sacrifice fly by Joey Wendle two batters later allowed Arozarena to trot home and make it 3-1.
The Mariners got back to within a run in the top of the sixth when Mitch Haniger tripled to lead off the inning against Fleming, and two batters later, Kyle Seager’s sacrifice fly off reliever JT Chargois brought in Haniger to cut the lead back to 3-2.
But Zunino came up with two out against Drew Steckenrider and lauched a pitch off the batters eye in straightaway center for his 21st homer, giving the Rays the insurance run right back.
Seattle again cut the lead back to a run in the eighth, as Crawford led off with a double and haniger followed with a single before Ty France struck out on a slider in the dirt, allowing Crawford to score as the pitch got away from Zunino. But the right-hander got both Seager and Abraham Toro to fly out to right and keep the lead at a run.
Ryan Sherriff worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his first save of 2021.
The win allowed the Rays to stay a game ahead of the Boston Red Sox for the lead in the American League East.
The Rays have Thursday off before starting a nine game road trip Friday with the start of a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
