Mariners at Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays have had a difficult time with a pair of last-place teams on this homestand and will try to avoid a three-game sweep against the Seattle Mariners in the series finale Wednesday afternoon. The Rays needed walk-off hits to win two of three against major league-worst Detroit and have dropped the first two games versus the Mariners after coughing up a two-run lead in Tuesday’s 7-4 setback.
“We’ve been in a rut here for a little while,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash told reporters after his team left eight on base Tuesday. “We’re fortunate that we’ve come away with some wins (while) not hitting. But that’s not generally a good recipe. You’ve got to make the most of some of those opportunities.” The Rays will turn to ace right-hander and American League Cy Young candidate Charlie Morton in Wednesday’s contest while the Mariners give the ball to veteran lefty Wade LeBlanc after starting the game with a reliever on the mound for the first inning or two. Seattle, mired in the AL West cellar, has sealed three straight series victories on its road trip with six wins in eight games overall and has won 14 of the last 18 meetings at Tropicana Field. Kyle Seager homered for the eighth time during his 14-game hitting streak (19-for-52, 17 RBIs, 12 runs) on Tuesday for the Mariners, who have won four straight, and teammate Tom Murphy went deep for the sixth time in his last four contests with 10 RBIs in that span while extending his hitting streak to eight outings (13-for-30).
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network; ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (6-7, 5.40 ERA) vs. Rays RH Charlie Morton (13-5, 2.77)
The Mariners are scheduled to use an opener for the second straight day, and LeBlanc is expected to follow. The 35-year-old University of Alabama product has dropped four straight decisions, including Friday when he allowed seven runs on 11 hits (four homers) across seven innings at Toronto. LeBlanc limited the Rays to one run on five hits over six innings Aug. 11, but was saddled with a 1-0 loss.
Morton took a hard-luck loss last Friday at home against Detroit, permitting one unearned run and three hits across seven innings with 10 strikeouts. The 35-year-old New Jersey native has fanned 42 batters and walked two in his last five starts while giving up two or fewer runs six times in his past nine trips to the mound. Murphy is 3-for-5 with a homer against Morton, who beat the Mariners on Aug. 10 with six innings of four-run ball and 10 strikeouts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Mariners recalled OF Jake Fraley, who started his career in the Rays organization, and he could make his big league debut Wednesday.
2. Tampa Bay CF Kevin Kiermaier snapped out of an 0-for-19 slump with a pair of hits and an RBI on Tuesday.
3. Seattle OF Domingo Santana (21 homers, 69 RBIs) was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with right elbow inflammation.