ST. PETERSBURG (WDAE) -- For some reason, the Tampa Bay Rays just can not figure out the Seattle Mariners at home.
Kyle Seager and Tom Murphy each hit two-run homers, and Tommy Millone worked five bulk innings as the Mariners defeated the Rays 7-4 Tuesday at Tropicana Field to secure a series win in St. Petersburg.
Seager wasted little time giving the Mariners the lead, as he followed a one-out base hit by J.P. Crawford by blasting a two-run homer deep into the seats in right off opener Diego Castillo.
The Rays tied the game in the second, as Willy Adames singled with one out and advanced in to scoring position when Keon Broxton could not field the hit cleanly. Kevin Kiermaier followed with a infield single that moved Adames to third and Mike Zunino then singled in the shortstop. Austin Meadows followed with a fielder's choice groundout that brought in Kiermaier to tie the game.
Tampa Bay broke the tie in the fourth, as Eric Sogard led off with a single, followed by an infield hit by Adames and an RBI double by Kiermaier to give the Rays a 3-2 lead. A Meadows groundout plated Kiermaier and pushed the lead to 4-2.
However, Jalen Beeks could not hold the lead, as an error by Matt Duffy allowed Tim Lopes to reach to start the fifth. He'd move into scoring position on a base hit by Dee Gordon and took third on a fielder's choice by Broxton and scored on a wild pitch. Austin Nola would tie the game with a RBI double, but Crawford would be thrown out at the plate trying to break the tie to end the inning.
Seattle would not wait long to break the stalemate, as Beeks walked Seager leading off the top of the sixth and Murphy immediately followed with a home run to left-center, his 16th of the year and third in two games.
Hoby Milner gave the Mariners an extra insurance run in the seventh by walking Crawford with two out and and Nola hitting a double into the right field corner.
Seattle has now won 14 of the last 18 games played between the clubs at Tropicana Field, while Tampa Bay will look to salvage the finale of the season series Wednesday and earn a victory in the season series..
WEDNESDAY'S MATCHUP
Tampa Bay Rays (73-54) vs. Seattle Mariners (54-73), 1:10 pm first pitch, with coverage on WDAE beginning at noon with The Inside Pitch
Rays starter: RHP Charlie Morton (13-5, 2.77 ERA)
Mariners starter: TBD