ST. PETERSBURG — It was late, but it was enough.
The Rays rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Monday night to come from behind and beat the Mariners 4-3 in front of an announced crowd of 14,482 at Tropicana Field.
It’s the second straight win for the Rays (39-40) and their 17th this season by one run. The Mariners dropped to 17-9 in such games and 45-36 overall. It’s just the eighth time this season the Rays won when trailing after seven innings.
Taylor Walls started the rally with a two-out walk, followed by a Jose Siri single. Ben Rortvedt cut the Mariners’ 3-1 lead to a run with a ground-rule double and Yandy Diaz gave the Rays’ the go-ahead runs on a two-run single to right field.
Taj Bradley didn’t give the Mariners much. He made one mistake to Cal Raleigh. The Mariners catcher turned on a 97-mph fastball and crushed it for a 423-foot home run in the top of the fourth inning.
In the seventh, Chris Devenski walked lead-off hitter Dominic Canzone and after battling to a full count, Mitch Garver hit a 400-foot homer.
For the right-handed reliever, it was the third straight appearance in which he allowed a homer.
It was the 44th home run the Rays’ bullpen has allowed this season, the second most in the majors.
Raleigh’s home run was the only damage the Mariners’ hitters could do to Bradley, the rest he did to himself. He walked four, three over the last 1 1/3 inning he pitched. The four walks tied a career high.
Bradley went 5 1/3 innings, scattering two hits and striking out eight. Since giving up a career-worst nine runs in Baltimore on June 1, Bradley has a 1.54 ERA over his last four starts.
The Rays had tied it at 1 in the bottom of the fourth after Raleigh’s homer when Richie Palacios singled off Mariners starter Brian Woo, who immediately left the game with right hamstring tightness. Tayler Saucedo came in to replace Woo and tried to pick off Palacios at first but threw wide, allowing the Rays second baseman to take third base. Palacios then scored on a wild pitch.
