SEATTLE — Julio Rodríguez isn’t getting many hittable pitches in the early stages of his second season, meaning the ones that are left over the plate can’t be missed.
Especially when its a mistake with two strikes.
Eugenio Suárez started Seattle’s big fourth inning with a solo home run, Rodríguez capped it with a three-run triple, and the Mariners rolled to a 9-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.
“Every time they make a mistake, we’ve got to make them pay. I feel like that’s where you’ve got to make your money,” Rodríguez said. “There’s a lot of good guys out there and they have a lot of good control but they’re human just like we are. Being ready for those mistakes is going to lead you to better results.”
Seattle won its third straight on the strength of one big offensive outburst against Colorado starter Ryan Feltner and a stellar outing on the mound from George Kirby.
Suárez went opposite field with his second home run of the season as the ball hit the top of the wall and bounded into the crowd. J.P. Crawford added a two-out RBI single later in the inning before Rodríguez electrified the home crowd. With first baseman C.J. Cron playing off the line, Rodríguez ripped a liner into the right-field corner, clearing the bases and sending last year’s AL rookie of the year into third base standing up.
Rodriguez was the last batter Feltner (0-2) faced. He allowed five hits, walked three and struck out five.
“When the lineup flips over, the guys at the top can do some damage,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.
Rockies manager Bud Black said he hoped the rough inning would be a learning opportunity for Feltner.
“That’s where a young pitcher with less service time needs to grow, to really understand the point of the game and the importance of throwing strikes and challenging the bottom of the order,” Black said.
But Seattle wasn’t done adding on. The Mariners scored four unearned runs in the sixth inning aided by an error on a botched double play attempt, a bases loaded walk and a hit batter with the bases loaded. Rodríguez had an RBI fielders’ choice and Suárez picked up another RBI when he was hit on the arm.
One big inning from Seattle’s bats was all Kirby (1-1) needed, even if the Mariners kept scoring. The right-hander had a shaky second inning where Colorado got its only run on a trio of base hits, capped by Elehuris Montero’s RBI single. Kirby allowed a one-out double to Jurickson Profar in the third inning, but retired the next 11 batters before Cron’s single leading off the seventh inning.
Elias Díaz’s RBI double later in the inning ended Kirby’s night. He struck out three and walked none, but was frustrated by not getting through the seventh.
“I thought it went great. Went inside all day, kept them off the heaters and it kind of made my other stuff better,” Kirby said.
Díaz had two hits to extend his hitting streak to nine games and his on-base streak to 12.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: INF Jose Caballero was selected from Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday as backup after Sam Haggerty hit his head diving for a ball in Friday’s win. Caballero entered the game in the ninth inning on defense, making his major league debut. Seattle designated for assignment pitcher Tommy Milone to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, but manager Scott Servais hoped Milone will stay with the organization.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Noah Davis will be activated to make his season debut. Davis appeared in one game last year and this season has a 4.26 ERA in three starts for Triple-A Albuquerque.
Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (1-0) makes his fourth start. Castillo has allowed two earned runs and nine hits in 17 2/3 innings pitched.
