Tampa Bay Rays earn 4-3 win to sweep Seattle Mariners – MLB Update
Tampa Bay Rays defeated Seattle Mariners 4-3 at the Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida on Thursday May 3 in the finale of their four match series of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season. With their win on Thursday evening, Joe Maddon and company also improved their win-loss record to 18-8.
Seattle, one again, had the first laugh but the Rays continued to fight as they came back strongly after conceding a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Desmond Jennings and Jeff Keppinger played a key role to help the Rays’ take 4-2 lead in a low scoring game.
"It was a great team effort," Maddon said. "Everybody played, everyone participated, everybody has a piece of the ownership right now, and I like that."
The Rays have looked in outstanding form over the last few weeks. They started the season with a series sweep against New York Yankees, who are considered as one of the strongest teams in American League. Tampa Bay has not looked back since then. Thrashing Texas Rangers 2-1 in their previous three match series, surely they are improving with each passing game.
However, what is most impressive about the Rays is their ability to play their natural even in tense situations. Showing no signs of nerves, they edged the Mariners in almost all games. In the opener, the Rays came back from behind to register an emphatic 3-2 win.
Taking advantage of their opponents’ unforced errors, the leading American League team secured a comfortable 3-1 win in the second game. Third game was also played on an extremely competitive and the Rays got the better of Seattle 5-4 to take an impassable 3-0 lead in the series.
Another close win in the finale will certainly give them more self belief. Joe Maddon’s team have now won 11 of their last 12 game and it will be interesting to see if the Rays can continue their incredible form throughout the season to become an unbeatable unit in AL. Mariners, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back from a humiliating series sweep.
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