The Tampa Bay Rays enter Seattle having swept the Los Angeles Angels in three games. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)
The Tampa Bay Rays enter Seattle having swept the Los Angeles Angels in three games. (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off their fourth straight win to move above .500 for the first time this season ― both feats they haven’t accomplished since August. Next stop Seattle, where the Rays will continue their six-game west cost jaunt against the Mariners.

To remain on the winning side of the ledger, the Rays will have to beat a tough Seattle team. Tampa Bay has experienced some success at Safeco Field, though none has come against Mariners’ ace, Felix Hernandez, who will take the mound Monday night.

In fact, Seattle (18-13) hasn’t lost any of King Felix’s 10 home starts against the Rays. Hernandez is 6-0 with a 1.58 ERA in those outings, and he is 7-2 with a 1.90 ERA in 15 career starts against Tampa Bay.

Three of King Felix’s last seven starts against them have resulted in complete game performances, including his 12-strikeout perfecto on August 15, 2012.

I can’t think of too many that are better, Rays manager Kevin Cash told MLB’s official website. You talk about guys evolving. … Felix, you know, he’s pitching 90, 91 mph right now. But the movement he creates on pitches and how he locates is second to none.

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Then again, Tampa Bay is on the upswing, boasting a season-high four-game win streak, including a 3-1 triumph at the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday that pushed the Rays over .500 (15-14) for the first time since August of 2015.

Off to a quiet start through much of April, the bat of former Mariner, Brad Miller, appears to be waking up after going 6-14 with two homers in the sweep of the Angels. Steven Souza Jr. is 6-13 with two homers and three RBI during a four-game hit streak.

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And while not wholly sustainable over the course of an entire  season, the Rays 39 combined home runs finds them tied for eighth (with Seattle) for the most homers in baseball.

Tampa Bay has slugged nine home runs over their past four games, and 21 in their past 12. With 56 of their 102 runs scored by the long-ball (54.9%), the Rays are now ranked second highest in the majors (behind the Mets). A powerful .453 SLG and .214 ISO over the last 14 days is another positive affect of the team’s slugging ways.

That’s not to discount the Mariners. They finally seem to have put it all together, led by the red-hot Robinson Cano, who leads the American League with 12 homers ― four in the last eight games as he has gone 18-35 with nine RBI. Cano has made a habit out of beating up on the Rays, collecting a .314 average, 24 home runs and 101 RBI in 166 career contests. The second baseman is on an eight hitting streak while teammate Kyle Seager is 16-37 with three homers during a nine-game hitting streak for Seattle.

Kevin Cash will throw Matt Moore (1-3, 4.95 ERA), Drew Smyly (1-3, 2.72 ERA), and Chris Archer (2-4, 4.23 ERA) over the next few days.

Moore put together his worst outing of the season Tuesday against the Dodgers, allowing seven runs on eight hits in 4-1/3 innings. He is 0-0 with a 1.35 ERA in two career starts at Safeco Field. Smyly picked up another outstanding start on Wednesday against the Dodgers, still he came away with a no-decision. He’s been Tampa Bay’s best starter thus far, although he’s had little to show for his efforts. Archer notched his third straight quality start on Friday night, holding the Angels scoreless through six frames. After a slow start to the 2016 season, he is now 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA over his last three outings.

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Felix Hernandez (2-2, 2.21 ERA) is coming off a four-inning start in Oakland when he allowed nine hits and eight runs (four earned). King Felix threw 81 pitches while working into the fifth inning, and generated just three swinging strikes in that game. After fanning 16 batters in his first two starts to begin the season, Hernandez has a 1.67 K/BB over the last 14 days. He’s 7-2 with a 1.90 ERA in 15 career starts against Tampa Bay, including his perfect game in 2012. Key matchups: Brandon Guyer (1-3), Kevin Kiermaier (2-7, 3B, BB)

Wade Miley (2-2, 4.74 ERA) has allowed just three runs on 13 hits over his last 21-1/3 innings after giving up 17 runs and 29 hits in his first 16-2/3. He’s 3-2 with a 2.38 ERA in seven career starts against the Rays. The lefty has made strides to recover from the horrors of his first four starts. Unfortunately for him, he’s shown no sign of improving upon the pitching that led to an ERA in the mid-fours in each of the last two seasons. In 2016 Miley has relied upon a 91 mph four seam Fastball, an 83 mph circle change that he uses to coax grounders, and a 91 mph sinker. He’s also mixed in an 85 mph slider and a 78 mph worm-killer curveball. He’s 3-2 with a 2.38 ERA in seven career starts against Tampa Bay. Key matchups: Logan Forsythe (6-21, 2 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB), Kevin Kiermaier (4-8, 2B, 3B, HR, RBI, BB), Evan Longoria (5-19, 3 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB), Steve Pearce (3-9, 3 RBI)

Taijuan Walker (2-2, 1.97 ERA) was pulled just two innings into his last start in Houston due to a sore neck after giving up two homers and three runs. He’s collected 29 strikeouts and three walks over his seven starts. This season Walker has relied heavily upon a 95 mph four seam fastball with a lot of backspin, while also mixing in an 89 mph worm-burner of a splitter, a 76 mph 12-to-6 curveball, a 90 mph cutter and a 93 mph sinker with a little run and a lot of depth. This will be his first start vs. the Rays.

Noteworthiness

― Alex Colome, a closer for the first time this season, is 9/9 in save opportunities with a 0.92 WHIP.

― Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) noted the connections between the two teams. The Mariners have a handful of former Rays, including RHP Nathan Karns, who was traded in November for SS Brad Miller and 1B Logan Morrison; LHP Mike Montgomery (traded for RHP Erasmo Ramirez); and free agent signees RHPs Joel Peralta and Joaquin Benoit (who is on the DL). Bench coach Tim Bogar was a Rays coach in 2008.

― The Mariners won four of the seven meetings last season, but went 1-3 in four games at Seattle.

― No current Ray has homered off King Felix, and Evan Longoria has the only RBI while going 6-27 in the matchup. Hernandez is tied with Jamie Moyer for the franchise lead with 145 career wins.

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