SEATTLE (AP) — Julio Rodríguez hit a towering 438-foot, two-run homer in the sixth to give Seattle the lead and Bryan Woo pitched six dominant innings and the Mariners beat the Athletics 2-1 on Sunday.
Rodríguez’s go-ahead home run gave the Mariners offense a much-needed boost. Before Rodríguez stepped to the plate, A’s starter J.P. Sears had retired 16 of the previous 18 Seattle hitters, with the Mariners managing just three singles.
Sears (0-1) allowed two runs and five hits over 6 ⅔ innings, with no walks and seven strikeouts.
Tyler Soderstrom put the A’s ahead in the fourth with a homer, his third of the series. But that was all the offense the Athletics got against Woo (1-0), who allowed just three hits and one run over six innings, with five strikeouts.
Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz pitched the ninth inning for his second save as the AL West rivals split the four-game series.
Key moment
Rodríguez's homer gave Seattle’s offense the jolt it needed, and brought the crowd to its feet after an uninspiring start at the plate for the Mariners.
Seattle hadn't advanced a runner past first base before Rodriguez hit the ball into the left-field bleachers.
Key stat
Seattle relievers Gregory Santos, Trent Thornton, and Munoz combined to allow just one hit over the final three innings, which came on a ninth-inning single from Soderstrom.
Up next
Joey Estes will pitch on Monday for the A’s in their home opener at Sutter Health Park against the Chicago Cubs, while Emerson Hancock will pitch for the Mariners against Detroit, which will start Jackson Jobe.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Shane Lantz, The Associated Press
