Seattle @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2016 ) Seattle 7, Tampa Bay 8

The Tampa Bay Rays are making their way back to the .500 mark with eight wins in the last 10 games and Evan Longoria is leading the way with a hot streak at the plate. The Seattle Mariners, who visit the Rays for the second of a three-game set on Wednesday, got a good look at just how strong Longoria is playing when they squandered a lead and dropped the opener 8-7 on Tuesday.

The Mariners carried a 7-4 advantage into the seventh inning on Tuesday before Longoria’s three-run blast off right-hander Nick Vincent knotted it up, and the Rays later pushed across the go-ahead run. The home run was the seventh in his last 10 games for Longoria, who is hitting .349 in June with 14 RBIs. Seattle is beginning to lose sight of the Texas Rangers in the American League West and is struggling in close games with three straight losses coming by a total of four runs. The bullpen allowed nine runs in those three games and was forced to work overtime on Tuesday when starter Taijuan Walker was forced out in the fourth inning with a foot injury.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Nathan Karns (5-2, 4.09 ERA) vs. Rays LH Drew Smyly (2-7, 4.94)

Karns battled control issues in each of his last two starts and issued a total of 10 walks in 8 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old was blasted for seven runs at Texas in the first of those outings on June 4 but minimized the damage to one run and two hits in 4 1/3 frames against Cleveland on Thursday. Karns spent 2014 and 2015 with Tampa Bay before heading to the Mariners in a trade over the winter and will be making his first start against his former team.

Smyly was given a mental and physical break by manager Kevin Cash and had his last start skipped after getting rocked in his previous three turns. The Arkansas native allowed a total of 17 runs and 25 hits in 15 innings over those three outings while surrendering five home runs. Smyly had a rough outing at Seattle on May 10, when he was ripped for six runs on 10 hits – two home runs – in five innings to suffer the loss.

WALK-OFFS

1. Walker was examined by a specialist at the park on Tuesday and the Mariners are hopeful he will make his next start on Sunday.

2. Tampa Bay RF Steven Souza Jr. left Tuesday’s game with soreness in his left hip and is day-to-day.

3. Seattle 2B Robinson Cano is 12-for-31 over the last seven games.

PREDICTION: Rays 5, Mariners 3