(Sports Network) - Few people have enjoyed playing baseball in Seattle this year. Raul Ibanez is one of them. Ibanez has been on a torrid run over his club's current homestand and will try to lead the Mariners to another victory over the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays tonight in the continuation of a four-game series at Safeco Field.

Seattle has won four of the first seven games so far on the stand, making it just 24-35 as the host club this season. The Mariners are being led by Ibanez, who is 12-for-28 (.429) with three home runs and 16 RBI on the residency after hitting the game-winning homer in last night's 2-1 victory over Tampa Bay.

Yuniesky Betancourt's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning tied the game before Ibanez's winner. Jose Lopez had a pair of hits while Felix Hernandez was solid in his start, as he gave up one run on four hits in eight innings of work.

Ibanez may have trouble extending his recent tear, as he is still hitting just .143 (2-for-14) versus the Rays this year and .249 in his career against them.

Meanwhile, Ichiro Suzuki had a hit to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. He is batting .375 (21-for-56) with 10 runs scored over the run.

Carl Crawford scored the lone run on a wild pitch and Dan Wheeler (2-5) was saddled with the loss for the Rays, who had won five of six coming into the game. Andy Sonnanstine was solid in the start as he gave up just one run on five hits in 7 1/3 innings of work and set a Tampa Bay record by retiring 17 straight batters.

It wasn't enough for the Rays, who lost the opener of a 10-game road trip while falling to 23-29 as the visiting club this year. Tampa Bay managed just one run a game after rallying for six runs in the ninth inning to defeat Cleveland on Wednesday.

James Shields starts for Tampa Bay and he did not factor into the decision of his last start on Sunday versus the Tigers. The right-hander held Detroit to just two runs on nine hits over 6 1/3 innings, marking the 10th straight start he has gone at least six frames.

Shields is 9-7 with a 3.63 earned run average this year, but does carry a 5.93 ERA in 10 road starts into tonight's test. The 26-year-old is 0-1 despite a 1.57 ERA in three career starts against Seattle.

The Mariners counter with Carlos Silva, who lasted 6 2/3 innings against Baltimore on Sunday after pitching a total of 5 1/3 frames over his previous two outings. The righty got a no-decision versus the Orioles -- his second straight -- after allowing four runs on nine hits.

Silva, 29, is a horrid 4-12 with a 5.92 ERA this year, but does have a 2.10 ERA in four career starts against the Rays, going 1-1 in that span.

Seattle won two of three when these clubs met in Tampa Bay from April 8-10.