Seattle @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2010 ) Seattle 1, Tampa Bay 9
Tampa Bay can put the champagne on ice, but won’t be able to pop the corks for at least several hours Sunday.
No matter what the Tampa Bay Rays do Sunday afternoon in the finale of a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners, they won’t be able to clinch a playoff berth until at least Sunday night.
That’s when New York plays Boston, and if the Tampa Bay takes care of business earlier in the day, a Yankees win will give the Rays a playoff spot.
Tampa Bay (93-61) boosted its lead in the American League East to 1½ games over the Yankees (92-63) after a 9-1 victory over the Mariners on Saturday.
Of course, with the best record in the American League, the Rays have bigger celebration plans. They hope to not only win the AL East, but also secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Rays will try to win their fifth consecutive game and sweep the Mariners when they send right-hander James Shields (13-13, 4.96 ERA) against left-hander Luke French (4-6, 4.23).
Tampa Bay is 7-1 against Seattle this season. The Mariners (58-96) are on pace to lose 101 games for the second time in three years. They must go 5-3 to avoid 100 losses.
Shields has lost his last four starts and gave up five runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings in an 8-3 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday. He is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts against the Mariners.
Franklin Gutierrez, who drove in the Mariners’ only run Saturday and leads the club with 60 RBIs, is 6-for-16 with a home run all-time against Shields. Ichiro Suzuki, who leads the majors with 203 hits, is 4-for-8 against Shields in 2010.
French gave up five runs and three homers in seven innings of a 5-3 loss to Toronto on Tuesday.
French has never faced the Rays and is just 1-5 with a 5.80 ERA on the road this season. He is 3-3 with a 3.72 ERA in his past seven starts.
Rays All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria, out with a left quadriceps strain, missed his second consecutive game Saturday but expects to play in the next three or four days.
Seattle closer David Aardsma (left oblique strain) is expected to be sidelined for two or three days. Right-hander Brandon League will serve as the closer while he’s out.