Zunino homers in return to Seattle as Rays beat M’s 5-4
Published 1:30 am Saturday, August 10, 2019
Associated Press
SEATTLE — Mike Zunino hit a three-run homer on his return to Seattle, and Kevin Kiermaier and Avisail Garcia also went deep and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Seattle Mariners 5-4 on Saturday night.
Tampa Bay starter Charlie Morton (12-4) gave up four runs on a season-high nine hits, and struck out 10 in six innings.
Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save.
Zunino, playing in his first game in Seattle since being traded from the Mariners to the Rays this offseason, erased a one-run deficit and gave the Rays a 3-1 lead with his eighth homer of the season in the fifth inning. Two batters later, Kiermaier hit a solo shot.
Seattle got a couple of runs back in the bottom of the inning. Mallex Smith tripled and scored on J.P. Crawford’s groundout, and Omar Narvaez hit his 16th home run, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
The teams traded runs in the sixth. Garcia led off the inning with his 16th homer, and the Mariners cut the lead to one run with a run-scoring single by Tim Lopes in the bottom of the inning.
Seattle used reliever Matt Wisler as an opener. He pitched two scoreless innings before giving way to Tommy Milone (1-7). Milone allowed five runs on six hits, including three home runs.
The Mariners scored first on Lopes’ sacrifice fly in the second.
Honoring Edgar
Edgar Martinez was honored before the game for his recent induction into the Hall of Fame. During the ceremony, Mariners chairman John Stanton announced the team will erect a statue of Martinez outside of T-Mobile Park for next season.
