Zach Eflin earned his 14th win, tying for the American League lead, as the Tampa Bay Rays emerged victorious with a 6-3 win over the Seattle Mariners. This victory secured the Rays’ lead in the top AL wild card race, putting them 8 1/2 games ahead of the Mariners. Additionally, the Rays are now four games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East, while the Mariners trail the Houston Astros by only 1 1/2 games in the AL West.
Eflin pitched for five innings, allowing three runs and seven hits. He set a franchise record with his 11th home victory in a single season, matching the achievements of Toronto’s Chris Bassitt and Baltimore’s Kyle Gibson with his 14th win.
Seattle struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, going 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position against Eflin. They managed only 2 hits during the game and were 5 for 30 throughout the series. The Mariners scored their runs with singles from Josh Rojas and Sam Haggerty in the fourth inning, as well as a sacrifice fly from Eugenio Suárez in the fifth inning.
The Rays’ bullpen performed exceptionally, with four pitchers combining for scoreless, two-hit relief. Pete Fairbanks closed the game in the ninth inning, securing his 21st save in 23 chances. Notably, the Rays’ bullpen has not allowed an earned run in the last 21 2/3 innings.
The game started with a strong offensive display from the Rays, scoring three runs in the first inning off Bryce Miller in just 11 pitches. Yandy Díaz started with a leadoff single, followed by a walk from Brandon Lowe. Harold Ramírez then hit a two-run double, and Josh Lowe contributed with a run-scoring double. Luke Raley later added a two-run double in the third inning, extending the Rays’ lead to 5-0.
Notable events in the game include an unsuccessful argument from Mariners’ manager Scott Servais in the third inning. Servais claimed that a grounded ball by Cal Raleigh went off Raleigh’s foot and should have been called a foul ball, but the umpires ruled otherwise.
In terms of player injuries, Mariners’ closer Andrés Muñoz has a minor hip issue but was able to throw before the game. Rays’ third baseman Isaac Paredes did not play due to soreness after being hit by a pitch in the hand in a previous game.
Looking ahead, the Mariners’ Logan Gilbert will aim to join the group of AL 14-game winners as he faces the Los Angeles Angels’ Reid Detmers. The Rays’ Tyler Glasnow and the Minnesota Twins’ Sonny Gray will be the starting pitchers for Monday night’s game.
Tags: Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Zach Eflin, American League, Wild Card Race, MLB
