Julio Rodríguez delivered a crucial single in the 10th inning, breaking the tie and propelling the Seattle Mariners to a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. Cal Raleigh’s two-run single further solidified the Mariners’ lead, preventing them from being swept for the first time this season. J.P. Crawford’s back-to-back leadoff homers and George Kirby’s impressive seven innings on the mound were instrumental in securing the win for the AL West leaders.
Despite squandering leads in the first two games of the series, Seattle managed to bounce back and halt Kansas City’s three-game winning streak. MJ Melendez’s two-run homer in the ninth inning off Mariners reliever Mike Baumann tied the game at 3-3, setting the stage for Rodríguez’s heroics in the 10th. Mitch Garver’s walk and Raleigh’s subsequent two-run single extended the Mariners’ lead to 6-3, providing enough cushion to withstand a late rally by the Royals.
Hunter Renfroe’s two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning against Austin Voth narrowed the gap, but Taylor Saucedo shut down the Royals’ offense to secure the victory for Seattle. Tyler Locklear’s seventh inning double in his major league debut and Kirby’s stellar pitching performance were key highlights in the Mariners’ hard-fought win. Crawford’s leadoff homers and Ragans’ strong outing for the Royals added to the excitement of the series finale.
The Kansas City Royals will commence a 4-game series against the New York Yankees on Monday, with Seth Lugo (9-1, 2.13 ERA) taking the mound for Kansas City, while Carlos Rodón (8-2, 3.08 ERA) will be the starting pitcher for the Yankees. The game is scheduled to start at 7:10 pm at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, with the pregame show starting at 6:30 p.m. on Classic Hits 106.7 FM, 102.5 FM & 1530 AM KQNK.
