Marco Gonzales keeps rolling as Mariners top Rays 3-1

SEATTLE – Marco Gonzales continued his run of excellent starts by pitching into the seventh inning and allowing just one run, and Ryon Healy hit his ninth homer as the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 on Saturday night.

Gonzales (6-3) ran his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 24 1/3 before finally giving up an earned run in the sixth inning. It was his only hiccup in another impressive performance by the left-hander who is quickly developing into one of the more reliable arms in Seattle’s rotation. Gonzales gave up five hits and struck out six, and was on the verge of getting through the seventh inning before a two-out walk to Christian Arroyo.

In his past four starts, Gonzales has allowed one earned run over 26 innings pitched and struck out 18. Gonzales had not allowed an earned run since his May 12 start against Detroit.

Healy’s home run leading off the sixth inning was a towering shot and the sixth allowed this season by Tampa Bay reliever Wilmer Font. Seattle also got an RBI single from Nelson Cruz and an RBI double from Kyle Seager in the third inning to take a 2-0 lead against Chris Archer. Fireworks normally reserved for home runs at Safeco Field were inadvertently set off for Seager’s double that hopped off the wall.

Archer (3-4) allowed two runs in five innings, his shortest outing since going only four innings on April 14 against Philadelphia.

Gonzales saw his scoreless inning streak end with one out in the sixth as Matt Duffy scored from first on Wilson Ramos’ double that hit the top of the wall in left-center, but instead of bouncing over fell back into the field of play.

Alex Colome pitched the eighth and Edwin Diaz worked the ninth for his 20th save.