Manuel Margot’s three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning proved to be the final blow in what turned out to be a wild back and forth affair, with the Tampa Bay Rays holding on for an 8-7 win over the Seattle Mariners Friday for their fifth consecutive win on their west coast road trip.
Margot’s big blast came after a pair of one-out singles by Randy Arozarena and Brandon Lowe, the first two base runners allowed this season by Paul Sewald. He got a 1-1 fastball in the center of the strike zone, and crushed it to straightaway center for his first home run of 2022.
You didn’t think we were done, did you? #FridayNightBaseball | #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/nH1sgdLZQ3
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 7, 2022
Margot’s homer gave the Rays their third comeback of the night. They first rallied from down 2-0 after Eugenio Suarez’s home run in the bottom of the first to score three times against Logan Gilbert in the top of the second, capitalizing on a one-out walk by Taylor Walls and a base hit by Francisco Mejia with consecutive run-scoring singles by Yandy Diaz, Wander Franco, and Arozarena.
Seattle regained the lead in the fourth against Josh Fleming thanks to a sacrifice fly by Abraham Toro and a base hit from Dylan Moore. But Tampa Bay evened the game in the top of the fifth, as an infield single by Harold Ramirez, coupled with a bad throw by Suarez, allowed Arozarena to score from second base.
Scoring from 2nd on an infield hit to tie the game? Yup, that sounds like Randy#FridayNightBaseball | #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/eiL6t59Jvu
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 7, 2022
Ramirez would also drive in Franco in the seventh, as his fielder’s choice grounder with the bases loaded made it 5-4.
The Mariners appeared to have wrestled control away in the bottom of the eighth against Ryan Thompson, who allowed Julio Rodriguez to reach on an infield single before giving up a two-run pinch-hit homer to Jarred Kelenic.
Thompson also allowed a solo homer to Suarez in the bottom of the ninth to cut the lead to 8-7, but Brooks Raley ended up getting the final three outs of the game to earn his third save.
The Rays can guarantee a winning road trip, and extend their season-long winning streak to six straight games with a win Saturday evening, as Drew Rasmussen (2-1, 3.13 ERA) takes on Marco Gonzales (1-3, 4.05 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 9:10.