Seattle @ Tampa Bay preview

Seattle at Tampa Bay

Last Meeting ( May 3, 2012 ) Seattle 3, Tampa Bay 4

The Tampa Bay Rays are trending in the right direction - and a date with the Seattle Mariners should provide a good opportunity to strengthen their standing in the competitive American League. Tampa Bay has won eight in a row over the Pacific Northwest residents - including a brilliant four-game sweep earlier in the season. The Rays salvaged a four-game split against Cleveland with a decisive 6-0 triumph in the series finale on Thursday.

Seattle has shown signs of life, scoring 31 runs to win three of four against Kansas City. Jesus Montero led the power display with a homer and a career-tying four RBIs in the Mariners' 6-1 victory on Thursday. Montero went 10-for-17 to improve his average by 20 points for Seattle, which belted eight homers and 20 extra-base hits in the series.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), SUN (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (1-2, 5.13 ERA) vs. Rays RH James Shields (8-6, 4.44)

Making his second start after 14 relief appearances, Hisashi allowed season highs in both runs (four) and hits (seven) in a 4-0 loss to Texas on Sunday. The 31-year-old Japan native has yet to face Tampa Bay during his rookie season with Seattle.

Shields struck out a season-high 11 batters in a 5-4 win over Seattle on May 2. The 30-year-old evened his career mark versus the Mariners at 4-4, but has just two wins in the last two months. Shields has surrendered double-digit hit totals in his last four outings - capped by a six-run, 11-hit uprising in a 7-3 loss to Boston on Sunday. He leads the majors with 146 hits allowed.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay's B.J. Upton went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles on Thursday. Upton has six hits in his last four games.

2. Seattle rookie Erasmo Ramirez tossed another bullpen session on Thursday. Ramirez, who is on the disabled list with a strained elbow, is expected to throw a simulated game Saturday.

3. The Mariners have played much better on the road than at home this season. They are just four games under .500 (23-27) on the road as opposed to 17-27 at Safeco Field.