ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Randy Arozarena had a two-run triple during a three-run third and the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Wednesday to avoid a season series sweep.
The Rays went 1-6 overall against Seattle, including losing the first two games of the three-game set.
Josh Fleming (9-5) allowed two runs and five hits, and Mike Zunino hit his 21st homer for the Rays. Ryan Sherriff, the third Tampa Bay reliever, worked the ninth to get his first save.
“It felt really good,” Fleming said. “Guys are joking in the clubhouse like, no one-season sweep us. They may get one series sweep, but they don’t do it again.”
Tampa Bay went 5-4 during a homestand that also included the New York Yankees, in which the Rays dropped two of three, and a sweep of Boston.
“We knew this was going to be a grind of a homestand,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “It is nice to come out of the homestand with a winning record.”
Seattle heads to New York to play the Yankees in a four-game series between playoff contenders that starts Thursday night.
“I love what we’re doing, I really do,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “We’re not taking a back seat to anybody. We’re ready to compete no matter who we’re playing. I’m looking to the series in New York. It’s going to be fun, a fun weekend.”
Mariners rookie Logan Gilbert (5-3) gave up three runs. four hits and four walks over five innings. Seattle had won 11 consecutive games, dating to May 25, when Gilbert started. The right-hander was 5-0 during the stretch.
Gilbert had around 50 family and friends in attendance. He is from Apopka, Florida, which is about 100 miles from Tropicana Field.
“I don’t think it was too much of a distraction or anything like that,” Gilbert said. “It was just nice to have them out supporting me.”
Tampa Bay had been hitless in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position during the series prior to Arozarena’s triple that center fielder Jarred Kelenic failed to make a running catch on.
“He lost it between the roof here and the lights,” Servais said, “He looked up and he had a bead on it, and he lost it there for a second. That’s why he wasn’t able to complete the play.”
Arozarena came home to make it 3-1 on Joey Wendle’s sacrifice fly.
Zunino gave Tampa Bay a 4-2 advantage on a sixth-inning solo shot.
Seattle had two on with no outs in the eighth but scored just once, on Matt Wisler’s wild pitch.
