Major League Baseball News

Playoff-hopeful Mariners conclude series with Devil Rays

Sep 16, 2007, 14:46 GMT

- The Seattle Mariners try to keep their fading playoff hopes alive this afternoon when they conclude a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Safeco Field.

Seattle's slim chances took a big hit on Saturday as they fell for the first time in three tries to the lowly Devil Rays. Jonny Gomes went 4-for-4 with two RBI, helping Tampa Bay to a 6-2 win.

Delmon Young also had two hits, knocked in a pair and scored a run for the Devil Rays, who ended a four-game losing streak. Brendan Harris added a solo homer and Carl Crawford finished 4-for-5 with a run scored.

Scott Kazmir (13-8) allowed an unearned run and three hits, with two walks and 11 strikeouts over six innings to win his fourth straight decision for Tampa Bay.

Raul Ibanez homered for the Mariners, who had a three-game winning streak stopped but remained 5 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the AL wild card race after New York lost to Boston on Saturday.

Horacio Ramirez (8-7) had a disastrous start, allowing four runs and three hits with one walk in the first inning while failing to record an out. Ramirez has now lost his last three starts and is winless in his last five outings, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Getting the call for the Mariners today will be veteran left-hander Jarrod Washburn, who has lost his last four and seven of his last eight starts. Washburn lost for the eighth time in his last nine decisions on Tuesday against Oakland, as he surrendered six runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings to fall to 9-14, while raising his earned run average to 4.49.

Washburn beat Tampa earlier in the year and has owned them over the course of his career, posting a 10-2 mark with a 4.78 ERA in 14 games.

Tampa, meanwhile, will rely on young righty Andy Sonnanstine, who is 5-9 with a 5.96. Sonnanstine, who has won his last three decisions, struggled on Tuesday against Boston, as he gave up five runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings, but did not factor in the decision of his team's 16-10 loss.

Sonnanstine, 24, has never faced the Mariners.

Seattle has won four of seven from the Devil Rays this season and is 14-7 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign. Tampa has also lost 12 of its last 15 in the Emerald City.

© 2007 The Sports Network