Rays blank M's 7-0 in series finale

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Edwin Jackson allowed two hits in eight innings, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Seattle Mariners 7-0 Thursday to stop a four-game losing streak.

A 15-game loser in 2007, Jackson combined on a three-hitter and improved to 2-0. He didn't get his first victory until June 24 last season and had nine losses before getting his second win nearly a month later.

Eric Hinske homered off Miguel Batista (0-2) and Mike DiFelice drove in three runs to help the Rays win for the first time since Jackson allowed one run in six innings to beat the New York Yankees on Saturday.

DiFelice had a RBI single off Batista, who gave up four runs and eight hits in six-plus innings. B.J. Upton's seventh-inning single off Eric O'Flaherty drove in the last two runs charged to the Seattle starter, and DiFelice followed with a two-run single for a 7-0 lead.

Jackson limited the Mariners to Adrian Beltre's leadoff single in the fourth and Raul Ibanez's two-out single in the sixth. He struck out six, walked four and only allowed one runner to reach third base.

Trever Miller pitched the ninth for Tampa Bay, giving up a leadoff single to Beltre before getting Ibanez to ground into a double play and striking out Richie Sexson to end the game.

Tampa Bay pitched a shutout for the first time since a 1-0 win at Boston on Sept. 10. Seattle was blanked for the first time since a 6-0 loss at Anaheim on Aug. 27.

Jackson last season as Tampa Bay's No. 4 starter and retained the spot despite losing his first eight decisions. He stopped the skid by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 24, then didn't get his second victory until July 20.

Batista held the Rays hitless until Hinske's solo homer with one out in the fourth. Jonny Gomes doubled off the Mariners starter in the sixth, then scored on DiFelice's broken-bat single for a 2-0 lead.

Notes: Seattle closer J.J. Putz threw for 10 minutes on level ground in his second throwing session since injuring his ribcage on April 1. He could be cleared soon to work off a mound. "No problems, we feel good about that," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "A real positive throwing session for J.J." ... Tampa Bay 3B Willy Aybar sat out with a sore left hamstring. He was replaced by Hinske. ... Rays LHP Scott Kazmir, on the 15-day DL because of an elbow strain, was to throw a batting practice session Friday.