Boston third baseman Rafael Devers reacts to a line drive on Wednesday in Seattle. The Red Sox scored six runs in the 10th inning to beat the Mariners, 9-4. Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

SEATTLE — Kyle Schwarber and Christian Vazquez drove in two runs apiece in the 10th inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 9-4 on Wednesday to keep pace in the AL wild-card race.

Designated runner Jack Lopez scored on Tom Murphy’s passed ball to start the scoring in the six-run 10th, breaking open a 3-3 game. J.D. Martinez, Schwarber and Vazquez added run-scoring hits as Boston beat the Mariners for the second day in a row.

All three games in the series between playoff contenders were decided in the seventh inning or later.

“It was playoff baseball,” Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said. “It feels that way. It’s fun, to be honest with you.”

The Red Sox, Toronto and the New York Yankees began the day in a virtual tie for the two AL wild-card spots. Seattle started the day three games behind.

Boston gets Thursday off before starting an eight-game homestand against Baltimore, the Mets and Yankees.

“Not too many people thought that the last homestand of the season was going to mean something,” Cora said. “Now it means a lot.”

Alex Verdugo singled against Eric Swanson (0-3) to lead off the 10th, moving Lopez to third. Swanson threw a chest-high fastball on his first pitch to Hunter Renfroe, but the ball skipped off the top of Murphy’s glove to the backstop.

One out later, Martinez made it 5-3 with an RBI single.

Adam Ottavino (7-3) got four outs total in the eighth and ninth and earned his second victory in two days. He struck out two.

The score was tied 3-all after three innings.

Boston’s Bobby Dalbec reached third in the eighth after a walk, a stolen base and Jose Iglesias’ single against reliever Casey Sadler. But Paul Sewald entered with two outs and retired pinch-hitter Verdugo on a popup, preserving Sadler’s AL-leading 19 2/3-inning scoreless streak.

Jarred Kelenic nearly ended it in Seattle’s favor in the ninth with a liner to right field with a runner on second that was foul by about a foot.

“In a game like that, you need a few breaks,” Mariners Manager Scott Servais said. “You need a bounce or a ball to go fair instead of just barely foul.”

“It doesn’t look bright right now, but we aren’t eliminated and we’ll still compete,” he said.

Renfroe homered in the first and Kevin Plawecki and Iglesias drove in runs in the second for a quick 3-0 lead against Mariners starter Marco Gonzales.

Gonzales retired 12 of 13 batters after the second inning, striking out seven and not allowing a hit over that stretch.

Seattle rallied in the third against Tanner Houck. Hits by Jarred Kelenic and Murphy, a throwing error by Renfroe from right field and Kyle Seager’s two-run double tied it.

Ottavino said the Sox are excited to go home after splitting a road trip with Seattle and the Chicago White Sox.

“I think that gave us momentum,” Ottavino said. “We’re going to have three series at home, a place we expect to win.”

CORA-CLEMENTE: Red Sox Manager Alex Cora proudly wore Roberto Clemente’s No. 21 as MLB honored the Hall of Fame outfielder. Cora fondly remembered the stories his father would tell him and his brother, Joey, about Clemente when they were kids. Cora said his father, Jose Manuel Cora, played winter ball in Puerto Rico with the former Pirates great, who died in a plane crash Dec. 31, 1972, while delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua at 38. Those stories have stuck with Cora.

“We don’t do enough back home to actually teach our kids who this man was,” Cora said. “And I think little by little with the movement of Retire 21 and having this day, little by little, we’re getting better at that. But, I mean, with who he was and what he represents, we will always be short, right? Because just his personality, he means so much to us. But I think we’re doing a better job now. And I think we’re sending a message and the kids are learning who Roberto Clemente was.”

NOTES: Matt Barnes made a rehab appearance with the Portland Sea Dogs on Wednesday, allowing two runs and two hits in one inning. He threw 18 pitches. Cora hoped he’d have both Barnes and Chris Sale available Friday, but Sale’s return has not yet been confirmed.