ST. PETERSBURG — Yusei Kikuchi went six effective innings, Abraham Toro and Jarred Kelenic homered, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 on Tuesday night.
“I didn’t feel like I had my maximum best stuff tonight but I was able to make my big pitches in big situations, especially with my breaking ball, my secondary stuff,” Kikuchi said through an interpreter.
Diego Castillo, the third Mariners reliever, worked the ninth to get his first Seattle save and 15th overall. The right-hander was acquired from Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Seattle has won the first two games of the three-game series and is 6-0 overall against the defending AL champion Rays this season.