Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Griffin Jax throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Mariners break losing streak with big fourth inning
Seattle finally found its offense on the last day of its Florida swing, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 8–2 at Tropicana Field. The win ended a five‑game skid and prevented a winless six‑game road trip. Seattle entered the afternoon with only 12 runs scored on the swing, but they matched that total quickly with three runs in the second and four more in a decisive fourth inning.
Weston Wilson opened the fourth with a solo shot to left, jumping on a 1‑2 sweeper. Moments later, Randy Arozarena followed with a three‑run blast to right‑center, stretching the lead to 7–0 and giving Seattle its most complete inning of the trip. The Mariners controlled the game from that point forward, finally generating the timely hitting that had eluded them throughout the week.
Rays honor Longoria but struggle at the plate
Before first pitch, Tampa Bay retired Evan Longoria’s No. 3 in a pregame ceremony celebrating one of the franchise’s foundational stars. The Rays’ afternoon, however, never matched the emotion of the tribute. Tampa Bay managed only four hits and closed a 4–3 homestand with little offensive rhythm.
Jonathan Aranda provided the Rays’ highlight with a two‑run homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season. Yandy Díaz added two hits, but Tampa Bay never mounted a serious push after falling behind early.
Seattle finds contributions across the lineup
J.P. Crawford delivered one of his best games of the season, going 3‑for‑4 with two doubles, three RBIs, a walk and a run. Josh Naylor reached base three times. Starter Emerson Hancock exited early after taking a comebacker off his pitching hand, but X‑rays were negative. Jose A. Ferrer stepped in and struck out two over 1⅓ innings, including a key punchout of Junior Caminero with two on in the third.
Seattle’s early offense came from Victor Robles’ sacrifice fly and Crawford’s two‑run double down the left‑field line. Those swings set the tone for a team that had gone 2‑for‑38 with runners in scoring position during the trip.
Rays look ahead as Mariners head home
Tampa Bay remains atop the American League East but missed a chance to build momentum heading into the break. Seattle heads home relieved to avoid a winless week and encouraged by a breakout performance that finally resembled its early‑season form.
