Seattle @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( May 16, 2010 ) Seattle 1, Tampa Bay 2
Tampa Bay has the American League wild card nearly locked up, but the Rays are likely to go down to the wire with the New York Yankees for the East Division title.
The Rays (91-61) won the last two games against the Yankees to move a half-game behind them for the division lead. They lead Boston by seven games for the wild card.
Tampa Bay's 10-3 victory over the Yankees on Thursday gave the Rays a 10-8 advantage in the season series. That means the Rays have the tiebreaker to decide the division if the teams are tied at the end of the season.
Tampa Bay has a strong chance to take over the lead from the Yankees as it hosts the lowly Mariners in a three-game series starting Friday night. Tampa Bay is 5-1 against Seattle this season, winning two of three in their last meeting from May 14-16 in Florida.
The Mariners (58-94) have the worst record in the AL and are headed toward 100 losses, but they have marked the season with individual accomplishments and got a big one despite losing 1-0 Thursday to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki had two hits to reach 200 for a record 10th consecutive season. That mark surpassed Ty Cobb for the most 200-hit seasons in the AL. Suzuki also tied the major-league record set by Pete Rose, who did not achieve the mark in consecutive seasons.
Suzuki struck out in the first, doubled to left in the third and got his 200th hit in the fifth inning when he lined a single to center.
The Blue Jays picked up the victory when Jose Bautista hit his major league-leading 50th home run in the first inning off Felix Hernandez, who finished with a two-hitter, striking out five.
In Friday night’s game, the Rays will start right-hander Jeff Niemann (10-7, 4.48 ERA) against left-hander Jason Vargas (9-11, 3.75).
Niemann is 0-4 with a 14.43 ERA in five starts since returning after a strained right shoulder on Aug. 25. Niemann allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings in a 6-3 loss Sunday to the Los Angeles Angels.
Vargas has lost six consecutive games, with a 6.14 ERA over that stretch. He allowed five runs on nine hits in a 6-1 loss in his most recent start Saturday against Texas.