Cuban Yandy Díaz decides Rays' victory over Mariners

September 12, 2023

Cuban Yandy Díaz hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning that gave the Tampa Bay Rays a 7-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners in the Major Leagues on Saturday.

Hitter Taylor Walls received a walk with two outs from pitcher Tayler Saucedo (3-2) -ultimately the loser- before Díaz connected on his decisive home run.

Díaz also hit a two-run double as a pinch hitter during a seventh inning with two runs so that Tampa took a 5-4 lead at that moment.

The Tampa team has a seven-and-a-half game lead over Seattle and the Toronto Blue Jays for the first wild card in the American League.

Tampa Bay began the day four games behind the Baltimore Orioles, leaders of the East Division of the American League, while the Mariners were half a game behind the Houston Astros, leaders of the West Division of the same circuit.

The win ultimately went to reliever Colin Poche (11-3), who pitched a perfect ninth inning.

Seattle's hitter, Dominican Julio Rodríguez, hit his 29th home run, the highest amount of his career, and is one away from joining Alex Rodríguez as the only Mariners to have 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season.

Mexican Isaac Paredes, Tampa Bay's third baseman, left after the fourth inning with a contusion on his right hand after being hit by a pitch from Luke Weaver. Paredes is Tampa's leader with 29 home runs.

Hitter Brandon Lowe hit a two-run double in the fifth for the Rays.

However, Seattle tied the score at five in the eighth when Venezuelan Eugenio Suárez reached base on an error and scored later on a wild pitch from reliever Robert Stephenson.

Also Dominican Teoscar Hernández, of Seattle, went 0-for-3, ending the best hitting streak of his career of 17 consecutive games.

Schwarber reaches 42 HRs
In Philadelphia, hitter Kyle Schwarber hit a three-run home run and Brandon Marsh drove in three with a double to lead the Phillies to an 8-4 victory over the Miami Marlins.

The outstanding hitter reached his 42nd this season and his three runs batted in gave him 93, one less than the best mark of his career last season. He led the National League a year ago with 46 home runs.

Schwarber can establish personal records in both categories.

Schwarber's home run to the Phillies' bullpen against the Marlins' starter, Dominican Johnny Cueto (1-4) -ultimately the loser-, opened a second inning with five runs.

Cuban Nick Castellanos added a two-run double for the Phillies.

The Marlins are one-and-a-half games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks, who currently have the third and final wild card slot for the playoffs in the National League.

The Diamondbacks defeated the Chicago Cubs 3-2 on the day to achieve their fourth consecutive win.

The win went to reliever Jeff Hoffman (4-2), who pitched one and two-thirds innings.

- Saturday results in the Major Leagues:

Brewers over Yankees 9-2

Twins over Mets 8-4

D'Backs over Cubs 3-2

Blue Jays over Royals 5-1

Rays over Mariners 7-5

Orioles over Red Sox 13-12

Phillies over Marlins 8-4

Tigers over White Sox 3-1

Cardinals over Reds 4-3

Rangers over Athletics 3-2

Astros over Padres 7-5

Pirates over Braves 8-4

Nationals over Dodgers 7-6

Giants over Rockies 9-1

Angels over Guardians 6-2