ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – George Kirby allowed one run in six innings, Cal Raleigh hit a three-run homer and the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners avoided a three-game sweep by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 on Wednesday.
Seattle went 3-6 on a road trip to Cleveland, Miami and Tampa Bay and at 19-25 is the only division leader with a losing record.
Seattle closer Andrés Muñoz, who picked up his second save in 15 chances on Monday, loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth on two walks and a hit by pitch with the Mariners ahead 5-1. Richie Palacios homered for Trent Thornton, who got his first big league save when Amed Rosario turned into a game-ending double play.
Kirby (7-5) scattered four hits and struck out seven, his sixth straight game giving up two runs or fewer.
Raleigh put Seattle up 3-1 with his 14th home run, a sixth-inning hit by Shawn Armstrong (2-2). The reliever walked struggling Julio Rodríguez, who had three hits in his previous 32 at-bats, before Raleigh hit a 422-foot drive to right.
JP Crawford made it 5-1 on a single run in the seventh.
Yandy Díaz extended his career-best hitting streak to 19 games with a first-inning single, tying the Rays’ record set by Jason Bartlett in 2009.
Tampa Bay reached the halfway point at 40-41 after losing for just the third time in 10 games. The Rays were 54-27 at this point last season, en route to an AL berth.
Díaz also had an RBI infield single in the third inning.
Kirby fielded Díaz’s chopper between the mound and the first base line, but was unsuccessful in tackling it, with first baseman Ty France advancing to second on the play. José Caballero, who had doubled, scored at second base.
Rays starter Ryan Pepiot gave up one run and one hit in 5 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts and two walks.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: OF Luke Raley was a late scratch.
Rays: Rosario (facial laceration) played for the first time since being hit by a pitch Saturday and went 0 for 4. … 2B Brandon Lowe (broken right pinky finger) was out of the lineup for the fourth consecutive game.
NEXT
Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (5-4, 2.71 ERA) will start Friday night against Minnesota.
Rays: RHP Zach Eflin (3-5, 2.40 ERA) will face Washington on Friday night.
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