ST. PETERSBURG — Rays pitcher Nick Martinez scrapped a family trip to Disney World for a private jet to Philadelphia after being named to his first career All-Star team, then went out and pitched the AL-leading Tampa Bay to a 7-2 victory over the Mariners at Tropicana Field.

The 35-year-old right-hander held Seattle to two runs on four hits and one walk over 5 1/3 innings to improve to 8-2 with a 2.65 ERA — fourth best in the American League and 11th among qualified starters in the Majors. He has worked 105 1/3 innings across 18 starts, allowing three runs or fewer in 17 of them. The Rays have won 14 of his outings.

“It took me long enough to make my first appearance,” Martinez said, “so we’re enjoying it.”

Martinez’s All-Star spot opened when the Red Sox placed left-hander Ranger Suarez on the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain. Martinez said he thought the nod might go to Boston teammate Sonny Gray. Manager Kevin Cash broke the news to the team after Thursday’s loss to the Yankees, drawing cheers from the clubhouse.

“I told him when the initial thing came out, like, ‘You’re going to get there. You deserve this. You’ve had an amazing year. You’re an amazing teammate, amazing person, and good things happen to good people,’” starter Shane McClanahan said. “We’re all pumped for him.”

McClanahan called Martinez “an anchor for us” and said he “throws like he’s 10 feet tall and throws 150 [mph].” McClanahan added: “He deserved to be voted in immediately. He shouldn’t have been a replacement.”

The homer-fueled win featured long balls from Richie Palacios, Cedric Mullins, Victor Mesa Jr. and Junior Caminero, who hit his 28th home run of the season. Caminero offered his own tribute to Martinez: “I like everything that he does, but I like more about the person. He’s a great person. I love him. I want him to stay here all my career.”

Martinez, who signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent in February and turns 36 on Aug. 5, has earned a reputation as a clubhouse unifier. All-Star starter Drew Rasmussen called him “the best teammate ever” and said: “I don’t know if any one individual has come in as a free agent and impacted this clubhouse like he has. To have him around every day is truly a blessing.”

Starter Griffin Jax echoed the sentiment: “He’s the heartbeat of this clubhouse. Big reason as to why we get along so well, just how he’s fit so seamlessly into the group and how he includes everybody and makes everybody feel like they’re a big, special part of this team. When a guy like that gets rewarded the way he did, it just brings everybody together.”

As for his daughters’ reaction to swapping Disney World for the All-Star Game in Philadelphia, Martinez smiled: “They get the iPad on planes, so they’re excited about getting the iPad. The team’s flying us out in a private jet, so they’re gonna make my life harder now.”

Martinez and wife Kimberly will head to the All-Star Game in Philadelphia, where he will represent the Rays on the American League pitching staff.