Rays 3, Mariners 1
Matt Joyce tripled, homered and knocked in a pair of runs as Tampa Bay edged visiting Seattle for its ninth victory in 10 games.
The Rays managed only three hits, but it was enough to improve to 10-1 at home.
Rays starter Matt Moore (1-1) allowed seven hits and one run over five innings, earning his first career home victory. Moore struck out a season-high seven.
Fernando Rodney struck out the side in the ninth for his eighth save.
Joyce tripled home Ben Zobrist and later scored on a Luke Scott sacrifice fly in the first inning for a 2-0 lead.
After Seattle’s Michael Saunders hit his fourth homer in the top of the third, Joyce answered with his sixth in the bottom of the frame off Seattle starter Hector Noesi (1-3).
Jesus Montero had four hits for the Mariners, who lost their fourth straight.
It was announced earlier in the day that all-star third baseman Evan Longoria could miss up to two months with a hamstring injury.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Longoria suffered a partial tear of his left hamstring sliding into second base on Monday and is expected out 6-8 weeks. Longoria is batting .329 with a team-high 19 RBIs. … Major League baseball announced 2008 first-overall draft pick Tim Beckham, playing for the Rays Triple-A affiliate Durham, has received a 50-game suspension after a second violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program for a drug of abuse. … Seattle placed catcher Miguel Olivo on the 15-day disabled list with a strained groin muscle.