Seattle @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2010 ) Seattle 3, Tampa Bay 5
Back in first place in the AL East, the Tampa Bay Rays are inching closer to their second division title in the last three years. They could have a playoff spot wrapped up by the end of the weekend.
Tampa Bay (92-61) moved a half-game ahead of New York (92-62) after a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners (58-95) on Friday, coupled with the Yankees’ 10-8 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
The Rays reduced their magic number to three and can clinch a playoff spot as early as Sunday.
Closer Rafael Soriano surpassed the franchise mark for saves in a season on Friday with his 44th. He allowed one walk and no hits in the ninth to snap a tie with Roberto Hernandez, who had 43 saves in 1999. Soriano is 22-for-22 in save opportunities at home.
Tampa Bay’s Jeff Niemann (11-7) ended his career-high four-game losing streak for his first victory since Aug. 3 against the Minnesota Twins. He allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Seattle’s Jason Vargas lost his seventh consecutive start, one off the franchise record shared by Randy Johnson (1992) and Rick Honeycutt (1980).
The Rays gave Matt Garza a 2011 Harley-Davidson motorcycle to honor his July 26 no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers.
Garza (14-9, 4.01 ERA) will try to end his recent struggles against Doug Fister (6-12, 3.83 ERA) and the Mariners on Saturday night.
Garza is 0-2 in his last three starts with a brutal 10.93 ERA. He allowed seven runs – five earned – and eight hits in five innings Monday in an 8-6 loss to the Yankees.
Those numbers are a 180-degree turn for the right-hander, who was 3-0 with a 0.99 ERA in four previous starts.
Garza will try to join David Price as the Rays’ second 15-game winner. Garza is 2-1 with a 5.97 ERA in six career starts against Seattle, including 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts this season.
Seattle’s Franklin Gutierrez is 6-for-13 against Garza with a home run.
Fister allowed one run in seven innings of a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
In his only start against Tampa Bay this season, Fister gave up one run and four hits in five innings of a 4-3 victory on May 14.
Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria sat out Friday’s game with a left quadriceps strain and will miss the final two contests of the series. He could miss the Rays’ series against the Baltimore Orioles as well, but should be back for the final series of the season against the Kansas City Royals.