On Tuesday, the Seattle Mariners out-hit the hometown Tampa Bay Rays, 9 to 3, but ultimately the hits never came with runners in scoring position. The Mariners stranded 15 runners over the course of the game, including going 0-for-5 with runners on second or third base, en route to a 3-1 loss.
The Rays plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning, when Matt Joyce tripled home Ben Zobrist and cam in to score on a Luke Scott sacrifice fly. A Michael Saunders leadoff homer -- his fourth of the year -- would cut the Rays lead to 2-1 in the top of the third inning, but Tampa Bay got that run right back in the bottom of the frame on a Joyce solo homer. That would be the entirety of the scoring in the game.
Mariners starter Hector Noesi, who has been roughed up several times already this season, became the hard-luck loser, giving up all three runs on three hits and three walks in 5.2 innings. The Seattle bullpen allowed just one more Tampa Bay baserunner for the rest of the game, on a Lucas Luetge five-pitch walk.
Jesus Montero had a great day at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double, but not a single one of his hits came with a runner on base.
If the M's hope to salvage a series split, they will need to win on Wednesday.
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