"Things continued to look rotten for the Mariners on Sunday, as the Tampa Bay Rays finished the day with a win after a twelve-hit, four-run affair that highlighted everything that has sent this season's early playoff hopes into hair-pulling anxiety.
Mariners rookie Mike Montgomery made his second career start against his former team, but quickly ran into trouble after walking his first batter and notching a run with back-to-back singles off the bats of Joey Butler and Logan Forsythe. But after a quick mound visit to calm his nerves, the left-hander quickly settled down to pitch seven solid innings of five-hit, two-run ball, at one point retiring 11 straight Rays hitters in a row.