SEATTLE (AP) — Teoscar Hernández homered twice and drove in six runs as the Seattle Mariners matched a franchise record with seven home runs in a 15-2 rout of the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
Hernández hit a grand slam to highlight a seven-run third inning and added a 446-foot shot off position player Matt Duffy in the eighth for his 21st of the season.
Josh Rojas, Mike Ford, Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh and Cade Marlowe also homered for Seattle, which won for the 10th time in 11 games.
It was the fifth time in franchise history the Mariners hit seven homers in a game. They also accomplished the feat in 2002, 1999, 1996 and 1985.
Logan Gilbert (12-5) delivered seven strong innings for Seattle, allowing just one run and two hits. He struck out seven, walked one and won his sixth consecutive decision.
The Mariners improved to 73-56 and ensured they would maintain at least a share of first place in the AL West for a second straight day.
Seattle broke open the game with three homers off Jordan Lyles (3-15) in the third inning. It came just 11 days after the Mariners went deep four times off the Kansas City right-hander during a seven-run fourth inning on Aug. 15.
Lyles became the first 15-loss pitcher in the majors this season. The Royals lost for the ninth time in 11 games.
Rojas led off the third with his third homer since being acquired by Seattle on July 31. He didn’t hit a homer in 59 games with Arizona earlier this season.
Later in the frame, Hernández pulled his third career grand slam over the left-field fence and Ford added his 13th homer to make it 7-0.
Rodríguez hit a two-run shot in the fifth off reliever Jackson Kowar. It was his 22nd homer of the season and 50th of his career.
Raleigh added his 25th homer in the sixth and Marlowe hit a two-run shot in the seventh to make it 14-1.
Seattle reached double-digit runs for the third time in seven games.
NO. 50 FOR JULIO
Rodríguez’s fifth-inning shot made him just the second player in major league history with at least 50 homers and 50 stolen bases through his first two seasons.
The other player to accomplish the feat is Atlanta star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., who totaled 67 homers and 53 stolen bases over his first two seasons in 2018 and 2019.
Rodríguez also became the fastest player in Mariners history to 50 career homers, reaching the mark in 256 career games. Alex Rodriguez previously held the mark at 269 games.
UP NEXT
Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (10-7, 3.15 ERA) takes the mound in Sunday’s series finale. The Royals have yet to announce a starter.
