St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Jose Lopez's solo homer in the eighth inning was the difference, as the Seattle Mariners edged the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-3, in the opener of a two-game set from Tropicana Field.

With the setback, Tampa Bay was eliminated from postseason contention.

Ichiro Suzuki added a two-run homer for the Mariners, who won their second straight game and fifth in six tries. Adrian Beltre also drove in a run in the triumph.

B.J. Upton went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs for the Rays, who saw their four-game winning streak halted. Jason Bartlett also drove in a run in the setback.

Neither starter factored into the decision, as Ryan Rowland-Smith lasted five- plus innings and gave up three runs on six hits for Seattle. Jeff Niemann went 6 2/3 innings and was touched for three runs on four hits.

"The good thing I can take away is I threw a lot of pitches early in the game and I was able to get deep in the game. I kept my team in there and we were able to come away with a win," said Rowland-Smith.

Trailing by two runs in the sixth, Pat Burrell led off with a walk and moved to third on Willy Aybar's double. Dioner Navarro's walk loaded the bases and Shawn Kelley came on in relief. Upton offered an RBI single to left, and two batters later Bartlett had a sac fly to left to tie it up.

Seattle took the lead in the eighth, though. With Dan Wheeler (4-5) on the mound and one out, Lopez took the first pitch he saw over the fence in left field to make it 4-3.

Miguel Batista (7-4) sat the Rays down in order in the home eighth, and Mark Lowe came on in the ninth and worked around a leadoff walk to Carl Crawford to earn his third save of 2009.

The Rays got on the board, 1-0, in the second inning. Aybar led off with a double, moved to third on Navarro's bunt and scored when Upton singled to left field.

The M's tied it up in the fourth on Beltre's RBI single to center.

"It was a good lineup and I wasn't hitting the fastball...that's about it," said Niemann.

Game Notes