ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Drew Rasmussen admitted to being frustrated after his previous start, having pitched his way out of an April 20 game in chilly Chicago after just three innings by throwing too many pitches — 79, to be exact.
Wednesday, he did something about it.
Pitching inside the friendly confines of Tropicana Field, Rasmussen delivered arguably the best start of his still-young big-league career in leading the Rays to a 3-2 win over the Mariners.
Rasmussen worked six strong shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out a career-high nine while getting 19 swing-and-misses, retiring his last 10 batters — and throwing just 84 pitches.
All in all, a good night for the Washington state native, who said. “it’s always cool to have the honor of going up against the team you grew up rooting for and watching.”
Rasmussen got a quick run to work with when Randy Arozarena drew a leadoff walk in the first, stole second and went to third on an errant throw, then scored when Harold Ramirez lined a ball off the left wrist of Seattle starter Marco Gonzales. The veteran lefty exited the game with what the team said was a bruised wrist.
The Rays added to the lead with another big hit from Kevin Kiermaier, who delivered a two-run homer in the fourth on the final pitch from Seattle reliever Yohan Ramirez, who had replaced Gonzalez.
It was the second homer in three games for Kiermaier, who had gone 48 games since his last — back to Aug. 16, 2021.
The Mariners closed to 3-2 on an Abraham Toro home run off Andrew Kittredge with two outs in the ninth.
The win was just the second for the Rays against the Mariners in their last nine games and third in the last 12. The teams wrap up the three-game series with a Thursday matinee, then play four games next weekend in Seattle.
Attendance was a season-low 7,290.
