Ichiro Hits 2-Run Homer in Win Against Rays
By wchung | 06 Aug, 2026

Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki, right, of Japan, reaches out to high-five teammate Mike Carp after Suzuki hit a fifth-inning, two-run home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jeff Niemann during a baseball game Tuesday Sept. 22, 2009, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Catching for Tampa Bay is Dioner Navarro. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Jose Lopez hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 Tuesday night, eliminating the defending AL champions from the postseason.

Ichiro Suzuki had a two-run homer for the Mariners, who ended Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak.

Lopez gave Seattle a 4-3 lead on his 25th homer this season, coming off Dan Wheeler (4-5) with one out in the eighth. Miguel Batista (7-4) struck out three over two perfect innings before Mark Lowe pitched the ninth for his third save.

B.J. Upton drove in two runs for Tampa Bay, which has won five of eight after an 11-game losing skid.

Seattle took a 3-1 lead on Suzuki’s 11th homer of the season in the fifth. He moved into a tie with Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski for 248th place all-time with 2,016 hits.

Ryan Rowland-Smith was lifted with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth. Upton got Tampa Bay to 3-2 with a run-scoring single off Mariners reliever Shawn Kelley. After pinch-hitter Carl Crawford was retired on a pop foul, Jason Bartlett tied it on a sacrifice fly. Pinch-hitter Gabe Gross then struck out to end the inning.

Rowland-Smith allowed three runs, six hits and four walks in five-plus innings. Tampa Bay rookie Jeff Niemann failed in his fifth attempt to win his 13th game, giving up three runs, four hits and four walks over 6 2-3 innings.

Upton put the Rays ahead 1-0 with an RBI single in the second. Tampa Bay later loaded the bases with one out, but failed to increase its advantage when Gabe Kapler popped out and Evan Longoria flew out.

Seattle pulled even at 1 on Adrian Beltre’s run-scoring single during the fourth.

NOTES: Mariners C Kenji Johjima (sore left knee) was back in the lineup after missing one game. … Crawford and 2B Akinori Iwamura were both out of the lineup against the left-handed throwing Rowland-Smith. … Mariners 1B Russell Branyan (back) might take batting practice Tuesday. OF Ryan Langerhans (back) was not availble, while C Rob Johnson (left ankle) should play Thursday. … Seattle ace Felix Hernandez (16-5) is set to make three more starts this season, including Thursday and the final game of the regular season.

9/22/2009 10:12 PM ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)