ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Kevin Kiermaier drove in four runs, including a solo homer during a two-run ninth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Seattle Mariners 7-6 on Wednesday.
Kiermaier tied it at 6-6 on a leadoff homer against Matt Magill (3-1). The Rays then loaded the bases on Willy Adames’ single, a double by Mike Brosseau and an intentional walk to pinch-hitter Ji-Man Choi with no outs before Magill’s wild pitch with Tommy Pham batting allowed Adames to score the winning run.
Daniel Vogelbach had a solo homer and Mallex Smith added a two-run triple off Emilio Pagan (3-2) as the Mariners went up 6-5 in the top of the ninth.
Tim Lopes had two RBIs for the Mariners, who head home after a 6-3 road trip.
MINNEAPOLIS — Lucas Giolito pitched a three-hit shutout of the second-highest scoring team in the major leagues, racking up 12 strikeouts as the White Sox took the series from the first-place Twins.
Giolito (14-6) allowed only runner past first base, a double by Jonathan Schoop in the eighth. The 25-year-old fanned Jake Cave to finish that inning and reach double-digit strikeouts for the third straight time, the first White Sox starter to do so since Chris Sale did so in eight consecutive turns in 2015.
CINCINNATI — Luis Castillo shook off his worst career start to pitch six solid innings and José Iglesias hit a solo home run to pace the Reds.
Castillo (12-5), who allowed nine hits and eight runs on Friday against St. Louis, bounced back to limit San Diego to five hits and one run with four strikeouts.
PHOENIX — Tim Melville pitched seven innings of two-hit ball in his first major league appearance in almost two years, and the Colorado Rockies cruised to a 7-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Melville is a 29-year-old right-hander with just six previous big-league appearances who started this season in independent ball.