ST. PETERSBURG -- Erasmo Ramirez got some payback against his old teammates with a quality start, and Nelson Cruz made his mark with two doubles and a tape-measure home run to lead the Mariners' 7-1 win over the Rays on Friday night at Tropicana Field.
The Mariners (62-61) have won three in a row to keep pace with the Royals and Twins for the second spot in the AL Wild Card race. Meanwhile, the Rays (60-64) lost their third straight. Since winning three straight at Houston, the Rays have won just three times in their last 14 games to put a damper on their postseason hopes.