Julio Rodriguez' 2 HR, 5 RBI, lead Mariners 8-2 over Rangers

Julio Rodriguez hit 3-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs and Josh Rojas also hit a home run and had two RBIs to lead the Seattle Mariners to an 8-2 victory over the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night in Arlington, Texas.

It was the fourth multi-home run game of Rodriguez's career, and the five RBIs were a career high. Victor Robles also had two hits, a stolen base and an RBI for Seattle (79-75). George Kirby (13-11) improved his record to 7-0 in nine career starts against Texas, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings with four strikeouts.

Adolis Garcia went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored, Nathanial Lowe had a two-run single and Ezequiel Duran also had three hits, including a ground-rule double for Texas (73-81).

Jack Leiter (0-3), who came on to replace Jacob deGrom in the beginning of the fourth inning, suffered the loss, allowing seven runs (six earned) on six hits in five innings, allowing two walks and striking out five.

deGrom, who threw 60 pitches, made his second start of the season and his first at Globe Life Field since April 28, 2023, after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer. He allowed one run on three hits in three innings, with one walk and five strikeouts.

Seattle took a 1-0 lead in the third when Rojas hit his eighth home run into the bullpen in right-center field.

Texas took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Josh Smith came into the game with a single to first, advanced to third base on a double by Garcia and scored on Lowe's single to center.

The Mariners took a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning on a three-run homer by Rodriguez, a 398-footer to left.

Seattle extended the lead to 6-2 in the seventh inning when Robles deflected an infield single and then scored on Rodriguez's 18th home run, a drive into the outfield into the right-field bleachers.

The Mariners scored two more runs in the eighth sacrifice fly by Rojas and Robles, increasing their lead to 8-2.

–Field level media