Julio Rodriguez hits first homer, Mariners move into first with win over Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas — “Uh, hey, um, so, Julio, you know you can’t take that trident with you into the outfield, right? Just put it down. Yes, it feels like Cal Raleigh has been hogging it lately, but you’ll get to hold it again.”

But this joyful reunion between a young power-hitting superstar and his home run celebration prop came after a longer than expected or desired time apart.

After 22 games and 92 plate appearances, Julio Rodriguez finally hit his first home run of the 2024 season. And it wasn’t a wall-scraper, it was a titanic two-run blast off Rangers starter Dane Dunning into the upper deck of Globe Life Field.

It led to an overly excited celebration with the trident and then some excessive hugging of the 6-foot gold-painted metal weapon like it was a long-lost puppy finally found and returned home.

And while Rodriguez hit his first long ball of the season, he wasn’t even the first Mariners player to homer on Tuesday evening. Nope, Raleigh smashed his fourth homer in five games — a towering two-run blast in the first inning on an 0-2 pitch from Dunning.

The two homers and four runs of support were all that Logan Gilbert and the Mariners bullpen would need as they shut out the defending World Series champions in a 4-0 victory.

The win snapped an eight-game losing streak at Globe Life.

Seattle improved to 12-11 on the season and took over the lead in the AL West from the Rangers, who fell to 12-12. The Mariners have won eight of their last 11 games.

Gilbert did what he’s been doing all season, giving his team an optimal chance to win when he takes the mound.

Facing a lineup filled with dangerous hitters, including several from the left side of the plate, Gilbert delivered another solid outing in a season filled with them, tossing 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only two hits with an uncharacteristic four walks and six strikeouts. It was Seattle’s 13th quality start of six-plus innings pitched and three runs or fewer allowed this season — most in the American League.

Over the last 11 games, Mariners starting pitchers have delivered 10 of those quality starts while allowing a combined 10 runs in 69 1/3 innings pitched for a 1.30 ERA. They’ve struck out 70 batters and walked just 13.