Mariners 6, Devil Rays 3
Jose Lopez's growth was defined in one at-bat Monday night as he continued to shed his past temptations.
The Seattle second baseman is no longer just a pull hitter. Instead, he's quickly becoming the Mariners' best clutch hitter.
Lopez had two hits and drove in three runs, rallying the Mariners to a 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before the smallest crowd in Safeco Field history.
Lopez, hitting .429 with runners in scoring position, pulled Seattle even at 3-3 in the seventh with a two-run single to center. He also singled home Ichiro Suzuki with Seattle's first run in the third.
"I would have tried to hit a home run last year," Lopez said of the seventh-inning single off Tampa Bay reliever Chad Orvella. "This year my job batting second is to hit the ball the other way."
Lopez has settled in nicely batting behind Suzuki. Hitting there has brought a change in attitude and approach for the 22-year-old, who leads Seattle with 25 RBIs.

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