ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For all that has gone wrong for the Rays against the Mariners the past couple of seasons, something went very right Thursday afternoon.
Call it an evening-out, good luck, a well-timed break.
But also call it a game-winning hit, as Brett Phillips’ single off the leg of Seattle starter Chris Flexen in the seventh inning led to the decisive run in a 2-1 victory before a Tropicana Field season-low announced crowd of 6,749.
The Rays (11-8) took two of three from the Mariners, who had won six of the seven games between the teams last season and nine of the previous 11.
The game was tied at 1 when the Rays rallied in the seventh. Harold Ramirez led off with a single, and Josh Lowe followed with a hit of his own. Taylor Walls grounded into a double play, though, that allowed Ramirez to advance to third.
Phillips then slapped a grounder that Flexen kicked as it went by him on the mound. The ball caromed toward third, allowing Ramirez to score and Phillips to be safe at first. Had Flexen not redirected the ball, it likely would have been fielded cleanly by shifted third baseman Abraham Toro or shortstop J.P. Crawford.
The Mariners took the lead in the first off Jeffrey Springs, the first of the Rays’ sixpitchers on a designated bullpen day.
Adam Frazier led off with a single, went to second on a groundout and scored when Eugenio Suarez dropped a two-out blooper into short rightfield, the ball bouncing over the head of Manuel Margot.
The Rays came back to tie the game in the second off Flexen. Ramirez drew a leadoff walk, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Josh Lowe and scored on a two-out single by Phillips.
They got another solid performance from their relief corps. After taking a no-hitter into the 10th inning Saturday and allowing only two hits in all, the Rays’ sextet on Thursday allowed just six hits. It was the fifth straight game in which Rays pitchers allowed two or fewer earned runs.
