Rodriguez has five hits and go-ahead three-run shot as Mariners beat Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Mariners had simply squandered one other alternative on the basepaths, and seen their lead in opposition to the Royals disappear, when Julio Rodriguez stepped to the plate with two runners aboard within the eighth inning Thursday.

George Kirby knew one thing particular was about to occur.

The Mariners’ beginning pitcher, whose day on the mound had lengthy been accomplished, proceeded to observe the 22-year-old All-Star rip the primary pitch he noticed from Kansas City reliever Carlos Hernandez over the left-field bullpen. The homer gave Rodriguez a career-best 5 hits to go together with 5 RBIs and, extra importantly, lifted the streaking Mariners to a 6-4 series-ending win that left them a half-game again of Toronto for the third AL wild card.

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“Thank God for Julio,” Kirby mentioned with a smirk, earlier than including: “I’d have hated to be the opposing pitcher this week.”

Rodriguez had 12 hits within the four-game set, setting a franchise document for any sequence, and joined some elite firm in a number of methods: He’s the fourth Mariners participant with a minimum of 4 hits in back-to-back video games, the fifth participant in membership historical past with a five-hit, five-RBI sport, and the primary Seattle participant with a minimum of 20 homers in every of his first two seasons.

Oh, and to go together with all these homers, Rodriguez already has 30 stolen bases this season. That places him alongside Alex Rodriguez, Mike Cameron and Ruppert Jones as the one Mariners gamers within the 20-30 membership.

“That’s absolutely as good as you can do in this league,” Seattle supervisor Scott Servais mentioned. “I don’t care who you’re facing.”

Cal Raleigh homered for the second straight sport within the ninth inning to offer Seattle’s bullpen some respiration room, although it hardly wanted it. Isaiah Campbell (3-0) earned the win with a scoreless seventh, Trent Thornton tossed an ideal eighth and Matt Brash breezed by the ninth to select up his fourth save.

Carlos Hernandez (1-8) took the loss when Rodriguez pounded the primary pitch he threw to left area.

“That’s a great hitter,” Royals supervisor Matt Quatraro mentioned. “Put a pretty good swing on a good fastball.”

Nelson Velazquez homered for the fourth time in seven video games since his arrival in a commerce to Kansas City. MJ Melendez, Michael Massey and Freddy Fermin additionally drove in runs for the Royals throughout a becoming end to a wacky sequence.

Each group had a participant thrown out on the plate Thursday. Another was reduce down on the basepaths, one was picked off first base and Seattle had a runner referred to as out after inexplicably beginning again to the dugout when an outfielder dropped his fly ball.

Velazquez’s homer within the fourth tied the sport 1-all, however the Mariners pulled again forward because the chaos started within the sixth.

Royals reliever Max Castillo walked the primary two batters and Rodriguez adopted by scorching a liner to left. The ball cleared Melendez, who had misjudged its angle of strategy, and wound up on the outfield wall. Cade Marlow scored simply however Dominic Canzone, who had entered as a pinch hitter, was thrown out making an attempt to attain from first.

It wasn’t the final baserunning mistake.

Maikel Garcia was thrown out on the plate on Witt’s double within the backside of the inning, although the Royals’ offense saved rolling. Massey tied the sport with a single, Melendez atoned for his mistake with a go-ahead double and Fermin added a sacrifice fly – with the inning coming to a detailed when Melendez was thrown out at third base.

The greatest baserunning blunder got here within the seventh, although.

Dylan Moore hit a flyball that Melendez raced in and laid out to catch. Moore thought he obtained it cleanly and, after touching first base, circled and headed for the Seattle dugout. But the ball really had bounced out of Melendez’s glove, and he threw to first base, the place the umpires dominated that Moore had given himself up.

“We screwed up. I’ll be honest with you,” Servais mentioned. “We need to tighten that up. There’s no doubt about it.”

Fortunately for the Mariners, Rodriguez was there to rescue them yet one more time along with his no-doubt shot the very subsequent inning.

“Today was about Julio,” Servais mentioned. “We’re all real heavy on his back right now.”

ROSTER MOVES

Mariners: RHP Eduard Bazardo was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma and RHP Ryder Ryan was optioned to the identical membership. Bazardo was acquired from the Orioles on Aug. 1 for minor leaguer Logan Rinehart.

Royals: Kowar was recalled from Triple-A Omaha for the fourth time and RHP James McArthur optioned to the identical membership.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: RHP Bryan Woo (forearm irritation) threw a bullpen session earlier than the sport. Servais mentioned if all goes effectively, Woo can be activated across the time he’s eligible to come back off the harm record on Aug. 20.

Royals: 1B Nick Pratto (left groin pressure) deliberate to start a rehab task with Omaha on Thursday night time. … LHP Jake Brentz (elbow surgical procedure) obtained two outs in his rehab task on the Arizona Complex League on Wednesday night time. It was the primary time Brentz had pitched since April 29, 2022.

UP NEXT

Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (7-4, 4.04 ERA) begins the opener of a three-game sequence in Houston on Friday night time.

The Royals start a nine-game journey in opposition to the Cubs with LHP Cole Ragans (3-4, 4.21) beginning Friday night time’s sequence opener.