In Progress: Jason Vargas, Mariners Shutting Down Rays

St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Willy Aybar's leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth capped Tampa Bay's comeback, lifting the Rays to a 3-2 win over the Seattle Mariners in the middle contest of a three-game series.

The Rays scored twice in the eighth to tie the game before Aybar hit the seventh pitch from Jesus Colome (0-1) over the right-center field wall, ending the game.

Rafael Soriano (2-0) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth to get the victory for Tampa Bay, which had dropped Friday's series-opener, 4-3.

Rays starter James Shields struck out 10 over eight innings, in which he allowed two runs on six hits and didn't walk a batter. He did not receive a decision, but that was still a better result than his last outing. Shields took the loss last Sunday after Oakland's Dallas Braden threw the 19th perfect game in major league history.

The same seemed to be happening Saturday, when Seattle's Jason Vargas had a perfect game going through four innings. Evan Longoria broke that up with a fifth-inning leadoff single, though Vargas kept Tampa Bay scoreless until the eighth, when he didn't record an out and allowed the tying runs to reach base. Vargas allowed a total of four hits and walked two.

Mike Sweeney went 2-for-4 with a home run for the Mariners, who have lost three of four.