Seattle Mariners vs Tampa Bay Rays Match Player Stats On Aug 20, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Aug 20, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Kevin Kiermaier hit a leadoff home run and Adeiny Hechavarria added a two-run blast to lift the Tampa Bay Rays to a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday at Tropicana Field.

The home runs were all the offense Rays starter Blake Snell (2-6) needed after having his best outing of the season.

Snell gave up two hits and struck out eight in seven innings. He threw 101 pitches, 59 for strikes, to win his second consecutive start after failing to win in his first 14 starts this season.

The Rays (61-65), who are 10-22 since the All-Star break, got a boost of offense immediately when Kiermaier sent a 2-0 pitch from Mariners starter Yovani Gallardo over the 404-foot wall in center field to give the Rays a 1-0 lead.

Gallardo (5-9) did his best to keep the Mariners within one run until the bottom of the seventh. He hit Rays catcher Jesus Sucre with a pitch and struck out Brad Miller before Hechavarria ripped a 3-1 pitch over the wall in right field to make the score 3-0.

Seattle (63-62) couldn't generate much offense against Snell, who retired 15 of 16 batters at one point. The Mariners were able to get runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Taylor Motter grounded into a fielder's choice to end the threat.

The Mariners were able to get a one-out hit off Rays closer Alex Colome when Yonder Alonso hit a liner to left field, but Corey Dickerson made a nice defensive play to keep it to a single.

Colome struck out Robinson Cano and retired Cruz on a groundout to short to post his 36th save of the season.

NOTES: The leadoff home run was the first of CF Kevin Kiermaier's career. ... The Rays claimed OF Cesar Puello off waivers from the Angels and placed RHP Jake Faria on the 10-day disabled list with a left abdominal strain. ... Mariners 3B Kyle Seager (stomach virus) is still not 100 percent, according to manager Scott Servais. Seager was given the game off after missing two games last week. ... RHP David Phelps (right elbow impingement) will pitch in a simulated game in Atlanta before a decision about when to bring him off the disabled list is made. ... Mariners 2B Robinson Cano fouled a pitch off a foot in the ninth inning and a trainer came out to take a look, but Cano finished the at-bat.