Diaz's 5-hit game helps surging Rays sweep Mariners to tighten WC race

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Yandy Diaz had a career-high five hits to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 9-4 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night, completing a three-game series sweep.

The Rays (70-69) matched a season high by winning their sixth straight game. Tampa Bay added the Seattle sweep to its three wins over the Washington Nationals for its first consecutive series sweeps since opening 2023 with four straight.

With the win, Tampa Bay moved within 2½ games of the last American League wild-card spot.

Diaz had four singles and a double for the 11th five-hit game in franchise history. The Rays had a season-high 19 hits and six players had multi-hit games.

Adrian Houser (8-4) allowed four runs in seven innings and finished with eight strikeouts and a walk.

Seattle (73-67) has lost five of six and 14 of 20.

Mariners right-hander George Kirby (8-7) lasted just two innings, the shortest start of his career. He allowed a season-high eight runs, seven earned, on 10 hits, with one strikeout and a hit batter. Five of the first six Rays batters reached in the first inning, producing four runs.

Tampa Bay sent nine batters to the plate in the second and scored four more runs on five hits and a passed ball to chase Kirby.

Cal Raleigh drove in his 109th run with a single, and Julio Rodriguez hit his 28th home run, a three-run shot in the sixth, for Seattle.

Key moment

After retiring leadoff hitter Chandler Simpson, Kirby gave up five straight hits as Tampa Bay built a 4-0 lead in the first.

Key stat

Diaz went 5 for 5 with a double and four singles, the Rays’ first five-hit game since Tommy Pham in 2020.

Up next

Seattle's Logan Gilbert (4-6, 3.73 ERA) will face Atlanta's Chris Sale (5-4, 2.45) in a series opener Friday.

Tampa Bay's Ryan Pepiot (10-10, 3.70) will face Cleveland's Gavin Williams (9-5, 3.26) Thursday.

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