Saturday, 3 a.m.
After Manny Margot came off of the bench to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to yet another victory Friday night, the only question was this:
What in the world was Margot doing on the bench in the first place?
Margot, a Rays' outfielder, has been on a tear lately. In his last six games, Margot has hit .555 with eight RBI. He's also had dramatic hits, including his three-run homer with one out in the eighth inning in Friday night's 8-7
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victory over Seattle. Two nights earlier, Margot's two-out single in the eighth led the Rays to a win over Oakland.
It was the fifth straight win for the Rays.
"Playing with this team, you never know when you might go in," Margot said through an interpreter. "Whenever your name gets called, you have to be ready for it.
“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit. Maybe tie the game -- that was an important run."
It seemed as if every run was important for the Rays, whose normally tight bullpen was a little leaky. Ryan Thompson gave up three earned runs, Michael Wisler (who started) gave up two and Josh Fleming gave up two. Seattle's Jarred Kelenic had given the Mariners a 6-5 lead with a pinch-hit two-run homer in the eighth. Eugenio Saurez hit two homers for Seattle.
The Rays' Brooks Raley stopped Seattle in the ninth for his third save.
Randy Arozarena had four hits for the Rays. Francisco Mejia had three.
The Rays play in Seattle again tonght at 9:10 p.m. Drew Rasmussen will start for the Rays against Seattle's Marco Gonzales.