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Rays, Mariners continue set at Safeco

Jun 3, 2011 - 2:46 PM (Sports Network) - After sweating out three one-run games in a row, Carlos Peguero made sure the Mariners had plenty of breathing room on Thursday.

Seattle hopes for another powerful display of its bats tonight when it plays the second of four straight versus the Tampa Bay Rays at Safeco Field.

Prior to last night's opener, five of the Mariners' previous six games had all been decided by one run, with Seattle going 4-1 in that span. Still, playing with a lead is nice and Peguero made sure that happened with a pair of homers that doubled his season total in an 8-2 victory.

One of the outfielder's blasts, a three-run shot, came during a five-run second inning that began with a solo homer from Jack Cust. Justin Smoak also homered in the game for Seattle, which has won six of eight.

"We've had tight games all year long. You still have a lot of work to do when you do jump out [to a big lead] like that, but it was good to be able to separate a little bit early on," said Mariners manager Eric Wedge.

Chone Figgins snapped an 0-for-22 drought at the plate with an RBI hit and Felix Hernandez pitched seven innings of one-run ball, striking out 11 to win his sixth game of the year.

Rays starter James Shields wasn't nearly as solid, allowing seven earned runs over seven hits over a season-low four innings. He also set a season high by yielding four homers and had gone at least six innings in each of his previous 11 starts.

Rays manager Joe Maddon was surprised to see Seattle hit so well against Shields.

"He's been so money. The Mariners are a nice ballclub, but they're not known for that kind of outburst," he said. "That kind of surprised me."

Matt Joyce hit a solo home run for the Rays, who have lost three of four, while Johnny Damon singled to extend his streak of reaching base safely to 28 straight games.

Seattle starter Jason Vargas will hope his club saved some offense for tonight after he had a three-decision win streak end on Sunday versus the Yankees. The southpaw lasted a season-low three innings and gave up six runs, including five in the third, on five hits and four walks over a 7-1 loss.

"He was so close and we've seen him fight through that before," said Mariners manager Eric Wedge of Vargas' third-inning struggles. "Then you hopefully get a couple more innings out of him but they kept working deep counts and he wasn't able to finish off hitters that inning."

The 28-year-old fell to 3-3 with a 4.50 earned run average in 11 starts this season and is 0-2 with a 4.82 ERA in four career meetings with the Rays, including three starts.

For the Rays, Andy Sonnanstine takes the hill again for the injured Jeff Niemann.

Sonnanstine had his last start on May 25 wiped out by rain, though he did make a one-inning relief appearance on Monday versus the Rangers. He yielded a solo homer in the outing and is 0-1 with a 4.39 ERA in 10 games this year, including three starts.

The 28-year-old righty last started on May 20 in Florida and gave up three runs over five innings of a no-decision. He has pitched to a 6.08 ERA in his three games as a starter this year and is still seeking his first win since Aug. 14.

Sonnanstine is 1-2 with a 2.96 ERA in five career games against the Mariners, all but one of those starts.

The Rays won seven of nine versus the Mariners a season ago, including a three-game sweep in the lone meeting at Safeco Field.