The Seattle Mariners bashed Michael Wacha for five runs in the third inning and never looked back, as the Tampa Bay Rays saw their four-game winning streak come to an end after an 8-2 decision Monday at Tropicana Field.
After getting a runner on in the first and two more in the second without being able to capitalize, Seattle had the first six batters of the third all reach base safely. J.P. Crawford drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and took third on Match Haniger’s infield single that Joey Wendle couldn’t corral. He’d score on a base hit by Kyle Seager to make it 1-0. Ty France‘s RBI single plated Haniger for a 2-0 lead, and after Abraham Toro walked to load the bases, Jake Fraley‘s base hit to right scored Seager and France for a 4-0 advantage.
Luis Torrens grounded into a fielder’s choice, but a throwing error by Lowe, his second error in the first three innings, allowed Toro to race home and give Seattle a five-run advantage.
Wacha would end up throwing 42 pitches in the inning.
The Rays right-hander nearly got through the fourth unscathed Crawford and Haniger again leading off by reaching base when Seager grounded into a double play, but France doubled to left, allowing Crawford to make it 6-0. Wacha would come out of the game after finishing the inning.
Randy Arozarena finally got Tampa Bay on the board in the bottom of the fourth, with a solo homer, his 16th of the year, off Mariners starter Chris Flexen.
The Rays cut the deific back to a grand slam an inning later, as Kevin Kiermaier led off the inning against Flexen with a triple and scored two batters later on a groundout by Brandon Lowe.
But Tampa Bay would get no closer, and Seattle would get the two runs back in the seventh off reliever Chris Mazza, with France taking a 3-1 fastball and crushing it into the seats in left for his 11th home run of the year. later in the inning, Fraley drew a walk, stole second, and scored on a base hit through the shift by Jarred Kelenic to set the score at 8-2.
Tampa Bay drops a half-game to Boston, who was idle Monday night, and now leads the Red Sox by just one game.
The Rays will look to even the series Tuesday, with Luis Patino (2-2, 4.26 ERA) taking on Yusei Kikuchi (6-6, 4.01 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10.
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.
