Mariners 2, Rays 1
SEATTLE -- Felix Hernandez bounced back from his worst outing of the season, and center fielder Austin Jackson provided the big hit with a seventh-inning home run, as the Seattle Mariners snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night.
Hernandez (9-2) overcame some early control problems to allow just two hits and one earned run over seven innings. It was his first start since giving up seven earned runs in a 7-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday night.
Hernandez threw 106 pitches, with six strikeouts, and watched from the dugout as Jackson launched a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the seventh to put the Mariners (25-31) ahead 2-1.
The bullpen took over from there, with Carson Smith earning his first career save with a scoreless ninth. Smith came in to a rousing ovation in the top of the ninth inning, largely because Seattle fans have tired of struggling closer Fernando Rodney. Smith retired the heart of Tampa Bay's order on 10 pitches.
Tampa Bay (30-27) had just three hits while having its four-game winning streak snapped. The Rays have now played four consecutive games decided by one run, going 3-1 in that span. For the season, Tampa Bay is now 8-10 in one-run games.
The Mariners took a 1-0 lead on shortstop Willie Bloomquist's RBI single in the fourth, then Tampa Bay tied the score on a Hernandez wild pitch in the sixth. Hernandez gave up a one-out triple to center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, who then scored when Hernandez's 2-2 pitch to Joey Butler went into the dirt and got by catcher Mike Zunino.
Tampa Bay starter Alex Colome allowed seven hits and one earned run over six innings. Rays reliever Steve Geltz (1-2) suffered the loss after serving up the Jackson home run in the seventh.
Bloomquist ended Seattle's streak of 16 innings of offensive futility with an RBI single in the fourth inning. Bloomquist's RBI gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead and drove in the first Seattle run since the fifth inning of Thursday night's loss to the New York Yankees. During that 16-inning scoreless streak, the Mariners were 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
That was all the Mariners would get in the fourth, despite having the bases loaded with one out. Second baseman Robinson Cano, who had stranded six runners on base in Friday's 1-0 loss, hit into a double play to end the threat.
Hernandez had some early control problems but settled down to keep the Rays off the board over the first five innings. Hernandez gave up a leadoff walk to Kiermaier, who stole two bases before Tampa Bay left fielder David DeJesus drew a one-out walk to put runners at the corners. Hernandez got out of that jam and retired 13 of the next 14 batters through the end of the fifth.
NOTES: Rays 3B Evan Longoria was not in Saturday's lineup because of a sore wrist. Manager Kevin Cash said before the game that it's possible Longoria could take one or more two days off to rest the injury. ... The Saturday news on injured Tampa Bay RHP Jake Odorizzi was that there was no news. Odorizzi told reporters Saturday afternoon that his strained oblique felt about the same as it had late Friday night, adding that he plans to see a doctor Monday, an off day for the Rays. ... The Rays recalled LHP Enny Romero late Friday night, giving them another bullpen arm for Saturday's game at Seattle. RHP Andrew Bellatti was optioned to Triple-A Durham. ... Seattle CF Austin Jackson, who was used as a pinch-runner Friday night after resting his ankle for six innings, was back in the lineup Saturday. ... Rays 1B Nick Franklin, who was in the lineup for the first time this series on Saturday night, spent parts of the past two seasons with the Mariners. He was part of the three-team deal that sent LHP David Price to Detroit and CF Austin Jackson to Seattle last July. ... Mariners RHP Felix Hernandez, who started Saturday's game, threw a perfect game against the Rays in August 2012.