Mariners' Randy Arozarena haunts former team as Seattle beats Rays 5-1

Randy Arozarena misses being a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. It’s noticeable when the wistful look appears on his face as he talked about playing against them over the next few days at T-Mobile Park.

And the time spent in the visiting clubhouse before Monday’s series opener also offered an indicator.

To be fair, it’s the organization where we quickly established himself as a big league player and a clutch performer with a brilliant record-setting postseason in 2020.

But after being traded to the Mariners three weeks ago, Arozarena also made it very clear that he wanted to perform well and beat his former team, perhaps showing them just what they traded away.

Asked on Sunday, if he thought his former manager Kevin Cash would want his pitchers to avoid giving him anything to hit, Arozarena, speaking through interpreter Freddy Llanos said, “No, he’s not going to want to give me anything, but I’m still going to try and hit a homer.”

Given his recent slump that included three hits in his last 45 plate appearances, it might’ve been an audacious hope. But it’s also the sort of situation where Arozarena wills himself to success.

He made good on his announced intentions, smacking a three-run homer in the third inning and helping to provide an inordinate amount of run support for Seattle starter Bryce Miller, who turned in a brilliant performance as the Mariners cruised to a drama-free 5-1 victory.

With the win and the Astros losing to the Phillies on a walk-off single from Bryce Miller, the Mariners moved 3.5 games back of Houston in the American League West.

With the scored tied at 1-1, the Mariners took advantage of a miscue by one of their former players to extend the third inning and get Arozarena to the plate.

Third baseman Jose Caballero, who was traded to Tampa in the offseason for Luke Raley, misplayed Julio Rodriguez’s two-out groundball, allowing it go under his glove. Seattle got another break when Cal Raleigh’s squibber of groundball that hit off the end of his bat somehow had enough pace and spin to stay fair, hitting the third base bag for an infield single.

Arozarena stepped to the plate for the second time in the game, having struck out off Rays starter Ryan Pepiot to start the second inning.

When Pepiot left a first-pitch cutter up and on the outer half of the plate, Arozarena pounced on hit, sending a fly ball over the wall in right field for his second homer as a member of the Mariners.

Seattle tacked on another run in the fourth inning on Leo Rivas’ RBI single.

Five runs were more than enough support for Miller, who pitched seven innings, allowing one run on two hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts.

Both hits came off the bat of Josh Lowe, who hit a solo homer in the top of the second and singled off him in the fifth.

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