TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Rays host the Seattle Mariners on Sunday afternoon at George Steinbrenner Field, seeking a three-game sweep after winning the first two contests of the series by a combined 13-3 margin. First pitch is scheduled for the afternoon under clear skies, with a forecasted temperature of 91 degrees. Seattle (47-49) arrives having lost seven of its past eight games, including a 6-1 defeat Saturday night. The Mariners fell behind early and managed only four hits against Tampa Bay starter Griffin Jax, who allowed one earned run over five innings. Seattle’s offense has been stagnant, scoring three or fewer runs in five of its last six games. Right-hander Logan Gilbert, who took the loss Saturday after allowing four earned runs on nine hits across 6 2/3 innings, remains a key figure for Seattle. Gilbert has been inconsistent: He threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings against Toronto on July 4, but has surrendered at least four earned runs in two of his last three outings. The Mariners will need a bounce-back performance from their rotation to slow down a Rays lineup that has scored 13 runs in the series. Tampa Bay (56-37) has won nine of its last 12 games and holds the best home record in the American League. Jax, who earned the win Saturday, has posted a 3.18 ERA over his last five starts, striking out 30 batters in 26 innings. His command has been sharp, allowing two earned runs or fewer in four of those outings. Outfielder Ryan Vilade, who homered and drove in three runs Saturday, has been a spark plug off the bench. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-5 Rays victory. Tampa Bay enters as a -1.5 favorite, with an over/under of 7.5 runs. Following Sunday’s game, the Rays travel to Boston for a four-game series against the Red Sox starting July 17. The Mariners return home to face the San Francisco Giants on July 17.