SEATTLE -- The Rays wrapped up their six-game West Coast road trip on a low note Wednesday afternoon when Chris Iannetta hit a walk-off homer against Steve Geltz leading off the bottom of the 11th to give the Mariners a 6-5 win.
Playing on the West Coast is always a difficult proposition for East Coast teams, with the time change seemingly the biggest detriment. So when the Rays swept the Angels in three games to start the trip, optimism ran high.
Unfortunately for the Rays, they ran into a hot Seattle club and got swept to finish the trip 3-3.
"We came in, [the Mariners are] clicking on all cylinders," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Right now they're getting the big hits. They're getting the big innings pitched. They've overcome a little adversity, too. They're a good ballclub right now."
On many occasions, the Rays would gladly have taken a .500 trip to the West Coast. But not the way this one went down.
"Yeah, it's bittersweet, because 4-2 looks a lot better," third baseman Evan Longoria said. "And after the way that game started and the way it finished, it feels a little bit rougher that way."
Chris Archer, who came away with a no-decision on Wednesday, had a little brighter outlook about the trip.
"I think we played well," Archer said. "We didn't just cave and give in. The team showed a lot of courage and a lot of fight all the way through. Even last night as well. It was 3-3, so it would be considered a good road trip. But if you look deeper, I think it was better than good. It was a great road trip in the sense of how we played. The heart that we displayed."
The Rays will have an off-day Thursday before hosting the A's at Tropicana Field for three games. Following that series, the Rays will again hit the road, traveling to Toronto, Detroit, and Miami for eight games.
The Rays are in the midst of a 17-game stretch during which 14 are on the road.