Red-Hot Rays Continue Winning Ways on Margot's 3-Run Homer in 9th to Beat Mariners
SEATTLE, Wash. — Back and forth. Back and forth. That's how it went all night Friday with the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners.
Five lead changes weren't enough.
And in the end, this wild see-saw game was won when Tampa Bay's Manuel Margot, who's been swinging a hot bat with a hit in every game this month, drilled a three-run homer into the seats in left center in the ninth inning to give the Rays an 8-6 victory.
Lead change No. 6.
The Rays have now started this road trip with five straight wins and moved to 17-10 on the season. It's the first time they've been seven games over .500 all season. They have the third-best record in the American League, behind only the New York Yankees (18-7) and the Los Angeles Angels (18-10).
It was a wild game from start to finish.
The Mariners struck quickly, getting a two-run homer in the first inning from Eugenio Suarez off of Rays ''opener'' Matt Wisler. That would normally be a a huge problem against Seattle starter Logan Gilbert, a lanky 6-foot-6 right-hander from Apopka, Fla., because he had only given up two runs all year in five starts prior to Friday.
But the Rays got to him in the second inning, getting three runs of their own. It was the first time all season that Gilbert had given up multiple runs. Rays third baseman Taylor Walls walked with one out, but then it looked like instant replays over and over with four straight line-drive singles to straightaway center field by Fransisco Mejia, Yandy Diaz, Wander Franco and Randy Arozarena, and the Rays took a 3-2 lead.
They forced Gilbert to throw 36 pitches in the inning, after coaxing 20 pitches out of him in the first.
The game went back and forth the rest of the way, with three different lead changes for each team. The Mariners got back ahead in the fourth, scoring twice off of Josh Fleming to take a 4-3 lead. Fleming walked Suarez and then gave up a double to Jesse Winker. Abraham Toro plated Suarez with a sacrifice fly, and then right fielder Dylan Moore put them ahead with a single.
Tampa Bay tied it back up in the fourth with an Arozarena double, and then he scored on a throwing error by third baseman Suarez after a Harold Ramirez ground ball. They grabbed the lead in the seventh when Wander Franco walked, Arozarena singled and Brandon Lowe was hit by a pitch. Ramirez again drove in a run with a ground ball, but the Rays only got the one run to take a 5-4 lead.
Seattle grabbed the lead back in the eighth inning. Tampa Bay reliever Ryan Thompson, who hadn't given up an earned run all year, came on in relief of J.P. Feyereisen with one out, but after rookie center fielder Julio. Rodriguez beat out an infield hit, pinch-hitter Jarred Kelenic hit a line drive into the right field seats for a 6-5 lead.
Paul Sewald came on to pitch the ninth for Seattle, and he got Wander Franco to line out to third, but then Arozarena singled to left center for his fourth hit of the game and Brandon Lowe followed with a single to center of his own before Margot's big blast.
Margot, who came into the game for Ramirez for defensive purposes in the bottom of the seventh, is now 10-for-22 this month with a home run and eight RBIs.
Attendance was 26,154 on a cold Friday night, with temperatures falling into the 40s later in the game. The two teams play again on Saturday night, at 9:10 p.m. ET.
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Photo gallery from Friday night's game
Blue jerseys on a hot streak
Ever since the Rays' navy blue jerseys arrived, they've been unbeatable. They've worn them on the first four games of this West Coast road trip — and they're 4-0.
Kevin Cash pregame
Rays manager Kevin Cash talks to the media prior to Friday's game. He said first baseman Ji-Man Choi (elbow) is expected to rejoin the game in Seattle this weekend. (Photo by Tom Brew)
Matt Wisler 'opener'
The Rays used an ''opener'' on Friday night, with starting pitcher Matt Wisler (37) pitching two innings against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. He allowed two runs, and left with a 3-2 lead. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)
Brett Phillips defense
Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Brett Phillips (35) fields the double off the wall by Seattle Mariners second baseman Adam Frazier (not pictured) during the first inning at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)
Logan Gilbert struggles
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert (36) reacts as Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz (2) scores during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. This was the first time in six starts that Gilbert, an Apopka, Fla. native, has struggled. He gave up three runs in the second inning. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)
Yandy Diaz single
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz (2) hits an RBI single against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)
Logan Gilbert struggles
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert (36) reacts as he walks off the field after giving up three runs to the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)
Taylor Walls scores
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Taylor Walls (6) slides home safely to score during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)
Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Randy Arozarena (56) scores on a throwing error by Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez (not pictured) ahead of the tag from catcher Tom Murphy (2) during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)
Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Randy Arozarena (56) is called safe at second base for a double ahead of the tag from Seattle Mariners second baseman Adam Frazier (26) during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)
Tom Brew is the publisher of Inside The Rays, and has been with the Sports Illustrated/FanNation network for three years. He is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his four-decade career at the Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has written four books.