SEATTLE — Luke Raley doubled and later scored on Isaac Parades’ infield grounder at the start of an eight-run eighth inning for Tampa Bay, and the Rays rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Seattle Mariners 15-4 on Friday night.
Tampa Bay sent 13 batters to the plate in the eighth and sent a smattering of Mariners fans who didn’t want to wait out the postgame fireworks to the exits. Those that remained cascaded boos on the home team as the Rays kept hitting and scoring.
Randy Arozarena and Josh Lowe homered earlier in the game for Tampa Bay and Jose Siri homered in the ninth inning with infielder Mike Ford on the mound.
But the eighth inning was nearly perfect for the Rays.
Raley opened the inning with a double off Seattle’s Andrés Muñoz and advanced to third on Arozarena’s single. Parades chopped a 100 mph fastball from Muñoz (0-1) toward third baseman Eugenio Suárez, but he wasn’t able to make a clean transfer and throw trying to get Raley at the plate.
That opened the flood gates. Lowe followed with an RBI double that knocked Muñoz from the game, but the hitting continued.
Taylor Walls (single), Christian Bethancourt (double), Yandy Díaz (single), Wander Franco (double) and Arozarena (fielders’ choice) all drove in runs. Many Seattle fans gave a sarcastic standing ovation when Lowe grounded out to finally end the inning.
The big rally by Tampa Bay erased the memory of ace Shane McClanahan lasting just three innings in his shortest start of the season.
McClanahan labored through three innings and matched a season-high with four earned runs allowed. McClanahan had his start pushed back a few days after leaving his previous outing against Kansas City on June 22 after 3 2/3 innings due to some back soreness.
McClanahan’s outing fell apart in the second inning when nine batters came to the plate for Seattle. Teoscar Hernández’s double, Tom Murphy’s two-run homer and J.P. Crawford’s two-run single were the big blows. McClanahan allowed five hits and walked three.
But Tampa Bay’s bullpen held Seattle to just one hit over the final six innings. Kevin Kelly (4-1) went 1 1/3 innings for the win.
Seattle’s clubhouse was empty before the game, the result of a players meeting to talk through where the team stands almost at the exact halfway point of the season. It didn’t seem to help as the Mariners lost for the fifth time in six games and dropped four games under .500 for the first time since April 30.
Seattle starter Bryce Miller was spectacular for the first three innings but left in the fourth inning due to a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand. Miller was checked prior to giving up the homer to Arozarena and removed immediately after.
IN THE MINORS
Former Yankees and Phillies infielder Didi Gregorius reported to Triple-A Tacoma and made his debut on Friday. Gregorius had been playing for Laguna in the Mexican League before his contract was bought out by the Mariners earlier this month. Gregorius had visa issues that delayed his arrival.
UP NEXT
Rays RHP Tyler Glasnow (2-1, 4.45) had a season-high five strikeouts and won his last start against Kansas City allowing four hits and one earned run.
Mariners RHP George Kirby (6-7, 3.26) will try to rebound after losing his last start to Baltimore despite allowing only two earned runs and pitching into the seventh.
