All-Star Drew Rasmussen pitched seven scoreless innings as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the host Seattle Mariners 2-1 Friday night.
Jonny DeLuca and Jonathan Aranda homered for the American League East-leading Rays, who have won 13 of their past 17 games.
The Mariners lost for the third time in four games on their homestand. They avoided their third shutout in that span when Julio Rodriguez homered to left with two outs in the ninth off Bryan Baker, who then caught Josh Naylor looking at a called third strike for the final out. It was Baker’s MLB-leading 33rd save of the season.
The right-handed Rasmussen (11-5), who was born in nearby Puyallup, Wash., and attended Oregon State, allowed just two hits — an infield single by Cole Young with one out in the first and a one-out liner to left by Rodriguez in the second. Rasmussen, who walked two and struck out eight, retired the final 16 batters he faced.
The Mariners threatened in the second, when Rodriguez’s single and a pair of walks loaded the bases with two outs. Rasmussen fanned rookie Colt Emerson to get out of the inning and didn’t allow another runner.
DeLuca opened the scoring with a solo shot to left-center field with one out in the second inning off Seattle starter Logan Gilbert (8-7).
Aranda went deep down the right-field line with two outs in the third to make it 2-0.
The Rays had a chance to score in the fifth after Victor Mesa Jr. led off with a double to left and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Richie Palacios. Taylor Walls followed by dropping down another bunt, with Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh fielding the ball and apparently tagging out Mesa Jr.
Replays showed Raleigh had the ball in his bare hand instead of his mitt when he applied the tag, but home-plate umpire Doug Eddings ruled Mesa Jr. had left the baseline and thus was declared out.
Gilbert gave up two runs on four hits over 6 2/3 innings on the day. The right-hander walked four and fanned six.
