Junior Caminero launched his 28th home run of the season and the Tampa Bay Rays hit four homers overall in a 7-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
All-Star right-hander Nick Martinez earned the win after pitching effectively into the sixth inning, while Tampa Bay’s power surge provided separation late, including Caminero’s two-run shot in the seventh that pushed the game out of reach.
The result mattered on both sides: the Rays improved to 56-37 and stayed on top of the American League East, while the Mariners fell to 47-49 as their skid continued and they slipped behind Texas in the American League West standings.
Four homers and a key seventh inning swing it for Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay struck first in the third inning when Caminero doubled and later scored on a two-out single by Chandler Simpson, putting the Rays ahead 1-0.
The Rays then began to stack up runs via the long ball. Richie Palacios led off the fourth inning with a 396-foot home run off Seattle starter Luis Castillo to make it 2-0.
Seattle answered in the fifth when Cole Young hit his 11th homer of the season, trimming the deficit to 2-1. But Tampa Bay responded immediately in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back solo shots. Cedric Mullins fouled off consecutive two-strike pitches before driving a slider over the wall in right field, and Victor Mesa Jr. followed by adding a 398-foot home run—also on a two-strike slider—pushing the Rays’ lead to 4-1.
The Mariners managed another run in the sixth on Dominic Canzone’s RBI grounder, cutting it to 4-2. That was as close as Seattle would get.
In the seventh, Caminero delivered the decisive blow: an opposite-field, two-run home run to right field off Jose Ferrer that extended Tampa Bay’s advantage to 6-2. The Rays added another run to close out the 7-2 final.
Castillo took the loss after allowing four runs and nine hits in five innings, as Tampa Bay consistently found barrels and turned several key pitches into extra bases.
Martinez earns win after All-Star nod
Martinez (8-2) allowed two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Earlier Friday, the 35-year-old right-hander received his first All-Star selection, replacing injured Boston left-hander Ranger Suárez.
For Seattle, the loss continued a difficult stretch. The Mariners entered after being swept by the Miami Marlins in Miami, and the defeat extended their slide to four straight.
What’s next for Mariners and Rays
The series continues Saturday with Seattle scheduled to start right-hander Logan Gilbert (7-5, 3.19 ERA) opposite Tampa Bay right-hander Griffin Jax (4-6, 3.60).
After Friday’s power-heavy win, the Rays will look to keep momentum at home, where they have been strong this season, while the Mariners try to halt their losing streak and regain ground in the AL West race.