Kikuchi strikes out 6 as Mariners drop Rays

SEATTLE — Yusei Kikuchi threw four-hit ball in seven innings, and Seattle batted around during a four-run first inning as the Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 on Friday.

Kikuchi (4-3) earned his 10th quality start in 12 appearances in sending the Rays to their fourth consecutive loss, matching their season high.

Asked if he thinks Kikuchi has earned All-Star consideration, Mariners manager Scott Servais said: “I think it’s a great question and I think it’s something we should talk about. I think he’s one of the top five left-handers in the game.”

The Japanese pitcher struck out six and recorded 13 infield outs as he helped the Mariners to their fifth win in six games. He’s allowed seven hits and one run with 12 strikeouts in 14 innings in his past two starts.

“From the side, it looked like he got better as the game went by,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “His fastball velocity spiked in the sixth and seventh innings.”

Kikuchi struggled in the first inning, allowing two hits, including Yandy Diaz’s RBI single that made it 1-0. But he retired 11 of 12 batters starting in the second and got out of the third on eight pitches and the fourth in 10, thanks to strong play from Gold Glove shortstop J.P. Crawford.

“I get fired up every time he makes an amazing play,” Kikuchi said through a translator, adding: “J.P. and my teammates made a lot of great plays and that allowed me to get into a rhythm. It made it really easy to pitch out there.”

Kendall Graveman and Drew Steckenrider each pitched an inning of relief with a strikeout apiece.

The Mariners batted around in the first against Michael Wacha (1-2), scoring four runs on six hits with RBIs from Kyle Seager, Jake Bauers, Shed Long Jr. and Luis Torrens, who added another RBI single in the third to make it 5-1.

“Man, that first inning was cool,” said Crawford, who led off with a double.

Wacha allowed 11 hits in 3ž innings, his longest stint since returning from the injured list May 23.

Seattle repeatedly beat the shift against Tampa Bay, sending nine hits to the opposite field.

“We probably got beat around by the shift about as much as I can recall in a long time,” Cash said.

EXTRA-BASE STREAK — With a double in the third inning, Ty France extended his streak to five consecutive games with an extra-base hit, a season-high for the team. The designated hitter/infielder had three hits in the first four innings, scoring two runs.

TRAINER’S ROOM — Seattle sent right-hander Justin Dunn (right shoulder soreness) to the 10-day injured list for the second time this month and moved center fielder Kyle Lewis (knee) to the 60-day injured list. Dunn had an MRI after pulling himself two innings into his start Thursday, but the results weren’t available. Lewis recently had surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee, and Servais said recovery time made the move necessary.

UP NEXT — Rays left-hander Josh Fleming (6-4, 3.20) recorded his team-record 11th win in his first 18 career appearances in his previous game, a 4ž-innings relief appearance behind an opener. Mariners rookie right-hander Logan Gilbert (2-2, 4.13) goes for his third consecutive win.

Tampa Bay Seattle

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Margot rf 4 1 2 0 Crawford ss 4 1 2 0

Arozarna lf 4 0 0 0 Haniger rf 4 0 1 0

Meadws dh 4 0 1 0 Seager 3b 4 1 2 1

Diaz 1b 4 0 0 1 France dh 4 2 3 0

Brossau 3b 2 0 0 0 Bauers 1b 4 1 2 1

Lowe 2b 4 0 0 0 Moore 2b 3 0 0 0

Mejia c 3 0 0 0 Long Jr. lf 3 0 1 1

Choi ph 1 0 1 0 Fraley lf 0 0 0 0

Walls ss 3 0 1 0 Torrens c 4 0 2 2

Phillips cf 3 0 0 0 Trammell cf 4 0 0 0

Totals 32 1 5 1 Totals 34 5 13 5

Tampa Bay 100 000 000 — 1

Seattle 401 000 000 — 5

E—Margot (3). DP—Tampa Bay 2, Seattle 0. LOB—Tampa Bay 7, Seattle 7. 2B—Walls (6), Crawford (17), France (18).

IP H R ER BB SO

Tampa Bay

Wacha L,1-2 32/3 11 5 5 1 2

Kittredge 11/3 0 0 0 0 1

McHugh 3 2 0 0 0 3

Seattle

Kikuchi W,4-3 7 4 1 1 3 6

Graveman 1 0 0 0 0 1

Steckenrider 1 1 0 0 0 1

HBP—Kittredge (Moore).

Umpires—Home, Quinn Wolcott; First, Nic Lentz; Second, Edwin Moscoso; Third, Joe West.

T—2:48. A—12,654 (47,929).