Elias leads Mariners past struggling Rays

St. Petersburg, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Roenis Elias hurled 7 2/3 solid innings to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 7-4 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second tilt of a four-game series at Tropicana Field on Saturday,

Coming off the first shutout of his career, Elias (5-4) allowed four runs on five hits and a pair of walks with five strikeouts to pick up the win.

Dustin Ackley drove in three and scored two runs, while Willie Bloomquist collected two RBI and Cole Gillespie had a solo homer for the Mariners, winners in six of their last seven contests.

"You look over the last week or two and from top to bottom, we've been producing," Ackley said. "Everybody has been putting up good at-bats, and we're finding ways to score throughout the lineup."

Alex Cobb (1-4), who has lost three straight starts, was tagged for seven runs on 10 hits and a walk in his shortest outing of the year.

"They were able to take advantage of me throwing the fastball down the middle of the plate for the most part," Cobb said of the Mariners. "Just wasn't hitting my spots very well."

Evan Longoria smashed a two-run homer and James Loney had on a solo shot for the Rays, who snapped their 10-game losing skid in Friday's series opener.

Gillespie ripped a solo home run to center in the second to put the Mariners up 1-0.

Loney answered in the home half with his own solo shot to tie the game, and Ali Solis' sacrifice bunt plated Yunel Escobar later in the frame to give Tampa a brief lead.

Ackley singled to lead off the fourth and advanced to third on a Brad Miller base hit. Bloomquist drove in Ackley with a line-drive single to center. An Endy Chavez sac fly gave Seattle a 3-2 lead.

Seattle added four more runs in the fifth to extend the advantage to 7-2.

Two base hits around a walk loaded the bases to start the frame, and Ackley cleared them with a double into the right-center field gap. Bloomquist then greeted Rays reliever Cesar Ramos, driving a two-run double to left to score Ackley.

Longoria smashed a two-run home run to left field to cut the deficit to 7-4. Desmond Jennings doubled to reach base earlier in the frame.

Fernando Rodney pitched a clean ninth inning to collect his 17th save of the season.

Game Notes

It was Gillespie's first homer since Sept. 28, 2011 ... The Rays introduced a commemorative patch in honor of Don Zimmer which they will wear starting on Sunday for the remainder of the season ... Rays reliever Kirby Yates pitched 1 1/3 innings without allowing a base runner in his major league debut ... Tampa Bay went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position.