Yusei Kikuchi pitched seven strong innings Friday night as the Seattle Mariners sent the visiting Tampa Bay Rays to their fourth consecutive defeat, 5-1.

Ty France had three hits including a double, and Luis Torrens drove in two runs for the Mariners, who won for the fifth time in their past six games to reach the .500 mark.

Kikuchi (4-3) allowed one run on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts. It was the eighth quality start in the past nine appearances for the left-hander -- the lone blemish in that stretch was a game in which he was knocked out in the fifth inning when taking a hard one-hopper off his right knee.

Rays right-hander Michael Wacha (1-2), reinserted into the rotation after ace Tyler Glasnow was placed on the 60-day injured list this week due to a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament and a flexor strain, took the loss. Wacha allowed five runs on 11 hits in 3 2/ 3 innings, with one walk and two strikeouts.

The Rays scored in the top of the first. Manuel Margot led off with a single to right, took third on Austin Meadows' one-out single to left and scored on Yandy Diaz's groundout.

The Mariners answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning.

J.P. Crawford lined a leadoff double to left and scored one out later on Kyle Seager's single to right. Seager advanced to second on a throwing error by right fielder Margot.

France grounded a single to right, sending Seager to third. Jake Bauers grounded a run-scoring single into left to make it 2-1. With two outs, Shed Long Jr. grounded a run-scoring single into center field, and Torrens followed with an RBI single to right.

Seattle added a run in the third. France led off with a double to left. Bauers lined a single to right, and with one out, Long walked to load the bases. Torrens then reached on an infield single to bring home the final run of the game.

Mariners relievers Kendall Graveman and Drew Steckenrider each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the win.

Seattle out-hit Tampa Bay 13-5.

--Field Level Media