Tampa Bay @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( May 10, 2016 ) Tampa Bay 4, Seattle 6

Tampa Bay Rays ace Chris Archer dropped his first four starts of the season but has rediscovered his form as he takes the mound for Wednesday's series finale against the host Seattle Mariners. Archer has allowed just two runs over his last three starts, winning two of them while sharply reducing what was an unsightly 7.32 ERA after his fourth loss.

Archer will try to help the Rays salvage the finale after Seattle took each of the first two games. The Mariners have won 15 of their past 20 games and are 15-0 this season when leading after eight innings. Seattle starter Taijaun Walker declared himself fully fit after being forced out after two innings because of neck spasms during Friday's outing against the Houston Astros. Tampa Bay first baseman Steve Pearce slugged two homers in Tuesday's 6-4 loss for his fourth career multi-homer outing and has gone deep four times in his last five games.

TV: 3:40 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (2-4, 4.23 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (2-2, 1.97)

Archer beat the Los Angeles Angels in his last outing when he gave up five hits over six shutout innings. The only runs he allowed over the three strong starts came on a two-run blast by Toronto's Jose Bautista, the only hit Archer gave up in six innings of a no-decision. Archer is 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA in five career starts against Seattle and has handcuffed second baseman Robinson Cano and third baseman Kyle Seager — both 0-for-13.

Walker has dropped consecutive starts after picking up the loss in the abbreviated outing but hasn't given up more than two earned runs in any of his six turns. He has a stellar 1.03 WHIP and has struck out 29 and issued only three walks. Walker has a 3.97 home ERA in 20 career appearances (19 starts) but has been much more effective this season with a 2.25 mark in four starts at Safeco Field.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cano had two hits Tuesday and is batting .477 with four homers during a 10-game hitting streak.

2. Tampa Bay 2B Logan Forsythe (shoulder) sat out Tuesday and is questionable for the series finale.

3. Seattle LF Franklin Gutierrez, who hit 12 homers over the final two months of last season, went deep for the first time this season in Tuesday's contest.

PREDICTION: Mariners 5, Rays 3