Rookie southpaw Matt Moore aims for the second victory of his brief big league career tonight when the Tampa Bay Rays host the Seattle Mariners in the second test of a four-game series at Tropicana Field.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Florida native debuted with the Rays and made three appearances at the tail end of 2011, going 1-0 with a hold and a 2.89 earned run average in 9 1/3 innings.
He also had a double-digit strikeout game against Texas in the playoffs.
Moore got a no-decision in a 5-2 Tampa Bay loss at Detroit in his initial start of 2012, then dropped a 6-4 decision at Boston in start No. 2.
He's pitched twice and picked up two no-decisions since while allowing 13 hits and six runs in 12 innings.
The Rays are 1-3 in games he's pitched.
Seattle, meanwhile, turns to 25-year-old righty Hector Noesi for the fifth time this season in search of a second victory.
Noesi beat Oakland, 4-0, on April 14 after tossing eight innings of five-hit ball with a walk and six strikeouts. He lost decisions against Texas and Chicago on either side of the win, then got a no-decision at Detroit in his most recent start on April 26.
He's 0-1 with a 4.22 earned run average in 10 2/3 innings against the Rays.
On Monday, Elliot Johnson, who entered the game when Evan Longoria left with an injury in the third frame, fisted a go-ahead bloop single in the 12th inning, lifting the Rays to a 3-2 victory.
In the 12th, Brandon League (0-2) issued a one-out walk to Ben Zobrist and Carlos Pena followed with a sharp single to right field. Johnson came up next and his looper to left field plated Zobrist, who just slid in safely after a strong throw from Chone Figgins in left field.
Longoria left the contest with an apparent knee injury following an awkward slide into second base. He walked off the field under his own power, but is questionable for tonight's affair.
J.P. Howell (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless top of the 12th.
Jesus Montero and Miguel Olivo smacked solo homers to account for Seattle's two runs.
The Rays won six of their 10 matchups with the Mariners last season.
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