Seattle Mariners

Rodríguez and Raleigh homer back-to-back to jump start Mariners in 9-1 win over Nationals

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh watches his solo home run, his second of the night, against the Boston Red Sox go over the fence during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, July 31, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) (Lindsey Wasson/AP)

(AP) — Julio Rodríguez hit a two-run home run, Cal Raleigh hit a pair of solo homers and the Seattle Mariners opened a nine-game homestand with a 9-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Rodríguez and Raleigh went back-to-back after J.P. Crawford led off the first with a single to stake Seattle rookie Logan Evans to a 3-0 lead.

Evans (2-1) went a career-high eight innings, giving up four hits, including a home run by James Wood in the fourth.

Raleigh’s home run made it 4-1 in the fifth, finishing Washington starter Mitchell Parker (4-3). Raleigh’s AL-leading 19th home runs breaks a tie with Brooklyn’s Roy Campanella in 1955 for the most by a primary-position catcher in his team’s first 53 games of a season.

Rodríguez finished with three hits and three RBIs.

Seattle general manager Justin Hollander said prior to the game that All-Star pitcher Logan Gilbert will be in a Triple-A rehab assignment in Tacoma as early as Thursday. He also said pitcher Bryce Miller would be activated on the homestand, which runs through June 5.

Key moment

With a 3-1 lead after giving up home run to Wood with one out in the fourth, Evans allowed a single by Nathaniel Lowe but got Keibert Ruiz to hit into a double play. The Nats only stranded two runners, one in the eighth and ninth.

Key stat

Dylan Moore had three hits for the Mariners, including a pair of doubles, but his biggest contribution may have been breaking from third base on an infield chopper to third and sliding under the tag to ignite a three-run sixth inning.

Up next

Trevor Williams (2-5, 6.39 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound Wednesday for the Nationals against Seattle’s (George Kirby 0-1, 12.27).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

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