Field Level Media
Jun 3, 2018
Marco Gonzales did his alma mater proud on Gonzaga Night at Safeco Field.
The Seattle left-hander, a former Zags standout, pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and Ryon Healy hit a home run as the Mariners defeated the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 Saturday night.
Gonzales (6-3) gave up one run on five hits, with two walks and six strikeouts. It was the first earned run he allowed in his past four starts, a span of 25 innings.
Left-hander James Pazos threw one pitch to get the last out in the seventh, former Rays closer Alex Colome worked a 1-2-3 eighth and Edwin Diaz pitched a perfect ninth for his major league-leading 20th save of the season.
Gonzales retired the side in order in each of the first three innings before Daniel Robertson led off the fourth with a single to left field. Gonzales got C.J. Cron to ground into a double play to erase Robertson.
Rob Refsnyder singled with one out in the fifth before Gonzales picked him off first base.
The Rays ended Gonzales' scoreless streak in the sixth. Robertson led off with a single but was thrown out on Matt Duffy's fielder's choice grounder. With two outs, Wilson Ramos doubled off the top of the wall in center field to score Duffy and make it 2-1. Umpires reviewed the play to make sure the ball didn't clear the fence, but the call was confirmed.
Healy hit a solo homer in the bottom of the inning off Wilmer Font to restore the two-run lead. It was Healy's ninth home run of the season.
The Mariners opened the scoring in the third. With two outs, Jean Segura walked and Mitch Haniger lined a single to center field. Nelson Cruz grounded a single to center to score Segura, sending Haniger to second. Kyle Seager then doubled to left to plate Haniger and make it 2-0.
Rays right-hander Chris Archer (3-4) went five innings, giving up two runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out six.
--Field Level Media