Rays beat Mariners, pull even in series

  SEATTLE (AP) -- Carlos Pena hit his 21st home run and drove in another run and the Tampa Bay Rays increased their lead in the AL East to 3 1/2 games with a 5-3 victory over the Mariners on Friday night.

Tampa Bay's lead over second-place Boston is its largest since July 7.

Two days after his dramatic, game-ending home run capped a six-run ninth inning for the Rays, Pena made up for the absence of Evan Longoria, the team's leader in home runs and RBIs. Longoria is missing at least one day of his team's season-long, 10-game road trip because of a bruised hand.

(Pictured - James Shields pitches during the first inning. AP photo. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Dave]

Good game by Shields. The team got him a lead and made it stand. Bullpen looked good. Percival looked real good and was tossing in his curve pretty nice. I hope Longo and Bartlett start tonight.

[MD]

Was that Percival? Big win, considering no Bartlett or Longoria.

[Craig]

Interesting take. I was looking through the lense the other way tonight. I (being a long-suffering, rabid fan) was really watching Percy in the 9th... he was throwing some heat, but I couldn't help but wonder if he would have gotten the Ks against better bats Some of those throws looked seriously mashable.

Time will tell - he didn't look wobbly, at least.

[dick]

Good game, great results. We win, Boston and NY both lose and all is well. Thought Shields gave us a pretty solid game and we managed to luck out with a couple runs but hey--we'll take anything and everything. I (being an Upton basher) thought he altered something both in his stance and swing. Before he was rigid, lots of arm movement and little body--tonight he looked like a hitter, nice balance, striding into the ball and I think someone finally got through to him.