Arozarena tunes up for HR Derby before Rays' loss

SEATTLE -- Randy Arozarena used his pregame batting practice to work on his home run swing Sunday at T-Mobile Park -- where he’ll be participating in the Home Run Derby next week -- and it paid off. The All-Star left fielder went yard in the top of the first inning, but it wasn’t enough for the Rays as they fell, 7-6, to the Mariners.

Tampa Bay dropped the series and fell to 57-30 overall, which is still good for the best record in the American League.

It was Arozarena’s second homer of the series against Seattle and his 16th on the season, tying center fielder Jose Siri for the team lead.

The 2020 ALCS MVP and 2021 AL Rookie of the Year smacked 18 home runs in a matter of three minutes during his warm-up.

“Nineteen,” Arozarena corrected during his postgame interview through interpreter Manny Navarro, “it’s 19 after hitting one [in the game] today.

“This is a great park. Obviously I’m participating in the Home Run Derby and luckily I was able to hit those two home runs [this series] and I think it’s going to be a fun park to hit at.”

Tampa Bay had found itself down early in the first two games of the series, but Arozarena’s homer marked the first time the Rays plated the game’s first run over their past five outings -- last doing so in a 3-1 win over Kansas City on June 25.

Tampa Bay stretched its lead to 6-1 after a four-run third frame, but an untimely collision between third baseman Isaac Paredes and Mariners first baseman Ty France in the bottom of the third seemed to change the course of the game.

“Of course it’s a game we wanted to win,” Arozarena said through Navarro. “Especially after scoring early. I think things kind of got out of hand after that collision.”

France had just hit an RBI double down the third-base line to cut the Rays’ lead to 6-2 when Teoscar Hernández stepped up to bat. Seattle’s right fielder hit a grounder that looked like it could be a routine scoop and throw by Paredes, but France collided with Paredes and play was stopped due to injury as both players lay in the infield.

“Everything happened so fast,” Tampa Bay rookie starting pitcher Taj Bradley said. “I’m watching the chopper, and then as I turn to look back toward first, I see them both on the ground, tumbling. That’s a scary sight.

“Obviously, the runner’s going full speed at it, and so is Isaac. Luckily they both walked away fine.”

After discussion among the umpires, France was deemed safe. Paredes left the game with rib discomfort on his left side and was replaced by Taylor Walls, but Paredes said after the game that he felt fine after getting treatment with just some tightness in his ribs.

“Initially, I was just trying to get there faster than him so I could make the play,” Paredes said through Navarro, “so I could get it out in front. I think he might have been a little confused as well. I was trying to do everything I could to make the out. When I saw we were getting closer, that’s when I kind of backed up on the ball, and that’s when the collision happened.”

X-rays on Paredes’ ribs were negative and the team is hopeful the third baseman will be able to play Tuesday following an off-day on Monday.

Seattle added three more runs by the time the third inning was over and the Rays were held scoreless en route to a second consecutive loss to the Mariners.

“I’m glad Isaac is OK,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “It was a very unique, tricky play. A very tough call. I think the ruling is that if the fielder has a chance to field the ball before impact, it’s not considered obstruction -- so it doesn’t rule in favor of the defensive player.

“I’m sure we’ll get some more clarity on that, but that’s how they saw it.”

Bradley was pulled with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning. The 22-year-old righty finished with three strikeouts while allowing five runs on nine hits and one walk in 3 1/3 frames.

“I felt good,” Bradley said. “Just walked off mostly thinking the team put me in a great spot. What a great lead to pitch with. I just couldn’t hold it and execute pitches.”

Despite a relatively short outing by his starter, Cash liked what he saw from the rookie on the mound.

“He just couldn’t put guys away,” Cash said. “I thought he had pretty good stuff. He came out of the gate just pumping strikes with some nasty stuff. I don’t think it went away, just the finish to get those two-strike counts didn’t come like they normally do.”

The bullpen held Seattle to two runs the rest of the way, but the Rays’ bats went cold as they managed just one hit over the final six innings.

Right-handed reliever Jason Adam took the mound in the bottom of the seventh with the game knotted at 6-6. After walking Hernández, Adam struck out Jarred Kelenic. He then hit Eugenio Suárez before securing another out on a deep fly ball by Mike Ford. Adam then loaded the bases by walking Tom Murphy, which brought Cash out to the mound to talk to his reliever. The righty stayed in the game, but proceeded to hit Jose Caballero, which sent Hernández home from third for what proved to be the game-deciding run.

“Tough outing,” Cash said of Adam. “Sometimes pitchers don’t feel it and can’t get that feeling. Generally, we see them get back in the zone, but for whatever reason, Jason just couldn’t do that.”