Field Level Media
Aug 11, 2019
Ryan Yarbrough pitched 8 2/3 scoreless innings as the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep of the host Seattle Mariners with a 1-0 victory Sunday afternoon.
Eric Sogard hit a solo homer off Mariners left-hander Wade LeBlanc (6-6) with one out in the fourth inning as the Rays won for the 12th time in their past 15 games to remain in control of the American League's second wild-card playoff berth. It was Sogard's 13th home run of the season.
Tampa Bay outscored Seattle 11-7 in a competitive series. The last two games were decided by one run.
Yarbrough (11-3), who scattered three hits, was selected by the Mariners in the fourth round of the 2014 MLB draft out of Old Dominion and traded to Tampa Bay on Jan. 11, 2017. He didn't walk a batter and struck out a season-high eight in what was nearly the first complete game of his career.
Despite Yarbrough getting the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth to ground out, Rays manager Kevin Cash summoned right-hander Emilio Pagan to get the final out. Pagan needed only two pitches to earn his 12th save of the season, getting pinch-hitter Omar Narvaez to ground out to second.
The Mariners never got a runner into scoring position.
Seattle's Dee Gordon reached on a bunt single with two outs in the second inning but was thrown out trying to steal second by Rays catcher Mike Zunino.
Kyle Seager singled with two outs in the fourth before Yarbrough got Austin Nola to ground out to third.
The Mariners' Tom Murphy led off the fifth inning with a line-drive single to left but was stranded there. Gordon popped out to third baseman Michael Brosseau and Yarbrough struck out Tim Lopes and Dylan Moore to end the inning.
Mariners right-hander Sam Tuivailala pitched a scoreless first as the opener before turning the ball over to LeBlanc, who has lost his past three decisions.
LeBlanc went six innings, allowing one run on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Seattle lost for the eighth time in its past nine games after matching a season-high with a six-game winning streak.
--Field Level Media