Julio Rodriguez drove in four runs, including a two-run single that highlighted a five-run second inning, and the visiting Seattle Mariners rolled to a 9-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Rodriguez had three hits, adding a two-run, opposite field home run in the ninth. Ty France supplied two hits, two runs and an RBI for Seattle.
Winning pitcher Marco Gonzales (3-0) lasted six innings, giving up two runs and five hits. He walked one and struck out two.
Jake Rogers hit his team-leading fifth home run for the Tigers.
Detroit starter Matthew Boyd (2-3) was charged with six runs (five earned) in 1 1/3 innings. He allowed five hits and four walks.
Boyd got into early trouble by issuing a leadoff walk to J.P. Crawford on four pitches. France advanced Crawford to second with a single and Jarred Kelenic made it 1-0 with a single up the middle.
Seattle extended its lead to 6-0 in the second. Tom Murphy and A.J. Pollock drew walks and Jose Caballero singled to load the bases. Crawford’s infield hit brought in Murphy. France walked to force in the next run and Rodriguez followed with his two-run single. After Mason Englert relieved Boyd, France scored on a throwing error by shortstop Javier Baez.
Detroit had baserunners in three of the first four innings but couldn’t push a run across. That changed in the fifth after Gonzales issued a leadoff walk to Miguel Cabrera. Rogers smashed a fastball over the left field wall to make it 6-2.
The Mariners added a run in the seventh on singles by Rodriguez, Eugenio Suarez and Teoscar Hernandez. Detroit threatened in the bottom of the inning against reliever Trevor Gott. The Tigers had two baserunners with two outs but Baez popped up.
Detroit had runners on the corners in the eighth with no one out and still couldn’t add to its run total. A short flyout and a double play ended that potential rally.
Rodriguez’s homer against Tyler Alexander followed a single from France.
–Field Level Media
