Rays at Mariners
Jean Segura finished May with five multi-hit performances in his last six games and aims to continue his hot hitting when the Seattle Mariners open a three-game series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Segura went 14-for-23 over his last six contests of a month in which he batted .382 with 15 multi-hit efforts.
Segura went 2-for-2 with a walk, a sacrifice fly and three runs scored in Thursday's 6-1 win over Texas as Seattle won for the 10th time in 13 games. "Every day, I just go in the cage and do my work, my routine is almost the same, and I'm enjoying playing with this team and this organization" Segura said during a postgame television interview regarding his 42-hit month. "Just battle with every at-bat. ... I can't explain how hot (I am) right now." Tampa Bay, which had its five-game winning halted Thursday with a 7-3 loss in Oakland, will use Sergio Romo at the start of the opener to mark the seventh time the club has begun a game with a member of the bullpen. "I think it alters a lineup's approach a little bit," Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters. "It throws a wrinkle into it. Is it going to continue to work? Will we have the same thoughts that we have right now as we do, say, in August or September? I don't know."
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Sergio Romo (1-1, 6.33 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Mike Leake (5-3, 4.93)
Romo is opening up on the mound for the fifth time in Tampa Bay's last 13 contests. He has allowed four runs, four hits and three walks while striking out seven in 3 1/3 total innings in the role. Romo is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in four career relief appearances against Seattle and has struggled with Dee Gordon (3-for-4) and Segura (3-for-5).
Leake was outstanding in his last turn as he allowed one run and four hits over eight innings while defeating Minnesota. The 30-year-old is 2-0 over his last four outings and has given up fewer than three runs in three of the starts. Leake is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in two career starts against the Rays and has shut down Adeiny Hechavarria (2-for-17, one homer).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Mariners went 5-1 against the Rays last season, including a three-game home sweep during which they outscored Tampa Bay 28-7.
2. Seattle activated Gordon (toe) from the disabled list prior to Thursday's game - he went 1-for-5 - and optioned INF Gordon Beckham to Triple-A Tacoma.
3. Tampa Bay RF Carlos Gomez (groin) sat out Thursday and will be re-evaluated prior to the series opener.