TAMPA — The Rays felt Wednesday night’s series finale against the Mariners and right-hander George Kirby presented a good opportunity to be aggressive at the plate.
Kirby, Rays manager Kevin Cash said before the game, is talented and a consistent strike-thrower. Waiting around and trying to feel him out would do them no good.
“Let’s be aggressive and get ready to hit,” Cash said.
They were, and the approach proved fruitful in a 9-4 win. There was little doubt the Rays would sweep Seattle and win their sixth straight after the second inning was over.
Yandy Diaz led the way with his first career five-hit game, the 11th in team history and first since 2019.
After Adrian Houser retired the game’s first three batters on three pitches, the Rays commenced an offensive onslaught against Kirby, who entered Wednesday’s start with a 3.94 ERA and 8-6 record.
Batting second, Diaz scorched a 103.7-mph double — his 27th of the year — to the opposite field, starting an inning in which eight Rays would bat. Brandon Lowe, Junior Caminero, Josh Lowe and Jake Mangum rattled off four consecutive singles to put the Rays ahead 3-0. Hunter Feduccia added a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.
Houser struck out the first two batters he faced in the second, and then Jorge Polanco was thrown out at second base by Mangum after trying to extend a single into extra bases.
Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe tags out Seattle’s Jorge Polanco after he was caught trying to stretch a single into a double during the second inning on Wednesday in Tampa. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
The bottom of the second inning was just as productive for the Rays.
Three straight singles set up Brandon Lowe with the bases loaded and no outs. He flied out, scoring Bob Seymour, who was at third base after starting the singles streak. Caminero doubled to make the score 6-0 and collect his 102nd RBI of the season.
Kirby plunked Josh Lowe with a fastball, loading the bases again. Mangum grounded out and Feduccia singled to make it 8-0.
Kirby allowed seven earned runs and 10 hits in just two innings of work, striking out one and throwing 54 pitches.
Brandon Lowe added another sacrifice fly to make the score 9-0 in the fifth.
Meanwhile, with run support galore, Houser was extremely efficient for the first five innings. He did not throw his 54th pitch until the top of the sixth.
The sixth became a struggle for Houser. He gave up two singles, a walk and a three-run home run to Julio Rodriguez that barely eluded Josh Lowe as he leapt against the rightfield wall before Houser earned his seventh strikeout to end the inning.
Houser exited after pitching seven innings, allowing four runs on just four hits and one walk. Despite the shaky sixth, it was Houser’s longest start since the Rays acquired him from the White Sox at the trade deadline.
Mason Englert pitched the eighth and ninth innings, allowing only a walk and striking out one.
The Rays are now 70-69, above .500 for the first time since July, and only 2½ games behind the Mariners for the final American League wild-card spot.
