M's no match for Rays

SEATTLE (AP) - James Shields won his fourth consecutive start while striking out 10, Evan Longoria homered again, and the Tampa Bay Rays continued their joyride through the American League with a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night.

Shields (4-0) followed his career high-tying 12 strikeouts in his previous start against Oakland by allowing eight hits and two runs. He left after the first two Mariners singled in the ninth.

Rafael Soriano got the final three outs, including Jack Wilson on a three-pitch strikeout for his seventh save in seven tries.

The Rays are off to the best start in the American League since the 2005 Chicago White Sox also began 19-7. The last team to start better was the 2001 Mariners who went 20-6 en route to an AL-record 116 wins.

Tampa Bay improved its major league-best road ERA to 2.21 and baseball's best road record to 10-1. The 2001 Mariners also started 10-1 on the road.

Longoria had three hits, including his second home run is as many games in the fifth. The solo shot soared to the deepest part of the park beyond left-center field off Jason Vargas (2-2).

Vargas allowed just four hits and three runs while striking out a career-high eight in 6 2/3 innings.

Tampa Bay began the scoring when Carl Crawford walked with two outs in the third, then scored standing up from first base on a double by Ben Zobrist off the left-field wall. Crawford is so fast, he was halfway to third base before Crawford's drive landed on the warning track.

NOTES: Soriano pitched in Seattle for the first time since Aug. 29, 2006, when he was still with the Mariners. ... The last time Safeco Field had a game-time temperature in the 40s in May was May 11, 2008. ... Rays CF B.J. Upton was not in the lineup for the first time this season, though he pinch-ran for Aybar in the seventh and stayed in the game. SS Jason Bartlett rested for only the third time. Manager Joe Maddon said he saw it as a good chance to get each two days off, following Monday's travel day. ... It was the fifth time in Seattle history a Mariners SS had three errors in a game. The last was by Mike Morse on July 20, 2005.